Ghosts
by Takada Saiko
Summary: Following the events of the movie Kirk begins to wonder just what kind of a toll the loss of his planet and mother has taken on his first officer and the crew sets out on their first authorized mission even if Starfleet seems reluctant. R&R please.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Ghosts

Author: Takada Saiko

A/N: Okay, I'm at a standstill at my other Star Trek fic, so I'm working on this because I've got a better idea how to go from point A to point B on this one… I think. This is movie based, with the exception of the Spock and Uhura action. That disturbed me like none other. I, personally, am a UhuraXScotty shipper, myself, but alas. I would have been OK with it if they had either explained something more about it or perhaps made it either Christine Chapel or that one chick that I've totally blanked out on the name of from the spores episode. Or drugged him, because all fans of the original series know that Spock must be drugged or something to that extent to show attraction to the opposite sex. It's okay, Uhura, you're wonderful and I still think you and Scotty belong together!!

Okay, this takes place directly after the movie. Bear with me, I know what I'm doing. Honest. Truly. Maybe.

Onward!

Chapter One.

He had saved Earth, and this was the thanks that he got. True, he'd been allowed to graduate and promoted straight to captain – unheard of in the history of Starfleet – but he was sure that some in the higher-ups was after just one more good jab at Jim Kirk. As strange as the situation had been to start, they had made it stranger. Not only had they claimed that he had one more test to take before officially being allowed to leave out in command of the _Enterprise_, but they had informed him that the young half-Vulcan that he had gone from hating to a budding friendship with was going to give him the test. It was almost a sure fail without actually taking Spock's class, but there was no time for a semester-long course, was there? Not with the _Enterprise_ scheduled to leave out in less than a week and the teacher in question having joined the crew as science officer.

"I'm not asking you to give me the answers or anything," Kirk grumbled, leaning back against a table and watching his first officer jot down a few last notes.

"Of course not, Captain," Spock answered, shooting the blond man a look that told him he truly didn't believe what he had just said.

"Spock, I can't fail this. We leave out in less than a week."

"I am aware of this, Captain."

"And _technically_ I've already graduated."

"Technically, yes, but they will not give you the _Enterprise_ without fulfilling the credit for the last class." The Vulcan glanced back at the Human and barely kept himself from sighing. "We will leave out on time, Jim."

"It's just… abnormal. They acknowledge everything we did, honoured us with our positions in Starfleet, but they're still requiring that I take one final test for the credit, and they're asking you to give it to me. Even Pike thought it was weird."

There was a glint in Spock's dark eyes that Jim would swear years later was a Vulcan smile. "Is there a problem with your first officer giving you the test?"

"No, it's just… Damn it, did you volunteer to do this?" He glared evenly at the dark haired hybrid.

"Of course not, Captain. Our academic superiors merely realized I was one of the few remaining teachers here that could administer the test without biased. You've created quite a stir. For the better, obviously." He reached out and handed his superior officer the papers he had been writing on.

"Obviously," Kirk grinned and took the notes. His eyes widened when he saw what it was. "Spock I'm not asking-"

"I would not help you cheat, Captain," the alien assured him. "That is only a guide to help you. Starfleet's attempt to delay is should not be given in to, though I have received orders that this test is to assess your full understanding of the subject. This is my… compromise, as it stands."

"No rest," Kirk answered with a grin. "Alright, Spock, thanks then."

The Vulcan arched an eyebrow. "You are welcome, I believe is the correct response, is it not?"

"It is. Say, Spock, after I pass this test, you'll go out to celebrate with Bones and me before we leave, won't you?"

Spock looked wary at this. "I believe that is better suited to you and Dr. McCoy's tastes."

"C'mon, if I get an A in your class."

"You have not taken my class, Captain, and I assure you that if you did you would not receive an A for it."

"They always said you were a pain-in-the-ass teacher, Spock. I'll see you tomorrow for the test."

"I won't be administering the test. I have prior commitments, but I assure you that I will have it graded in time for us to leave on time, sir."

"I have no doubt in your capabilities, Mr. Spock," Jim answered and clasped in on the shoulder. "I'll just feel better when we're out there. You know what I mean?"

Spock stared at him for a long moment before the Human shook his head, murmuring something about the fact that Spock would understand someday and left to study. The Vulcan remained in once had been his office for a long moment before stepping out, locking it for the last time. He pulled a communicator from his pocket. "I will be arriving at the embassy. All is still as it was?"

"The funeral has not been changed."

The young Vulcan clenched his teeth, forcing control over his emotions. "Very well then," he managed and closed the communicator. His father would be waiting for him at the embassy and he would attend the funeral that should have been performed on Vulcan. Many had already been carried out after the destruction of his home planet, but even Starfleet's orders regarding his captain could not keep him from his own mother's funeral. He would attend, with the utmost control that he could have, and then he would return, pass Kirk, and they would leave this planet for regions unknown. Set in this, Commander Spock turned on his heel and started for the transporter that would take him to the Vulcan Embassy.

A/N: That's the beginning. I'm a review addict, so please, feed the addiction.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two.

A/N: I am currently reading the novelization of the movie. I suggest you go buy it. There are some really great moments in it.

"Bones!"

Dr. Leonard McCoy turned at the sound of his friend's voice. "Jim, you finish Spock's test then?"

"Yeah. He wasn't there, said he had some sort of prior commitment."

Bones cocked his head to the side and a frown tugged at the corner of his lips. "Well, that green blooded bastard does have a heart after all."

Kirk chuckled at this. "What do you mean?"

"I'd heard something about Spock's mother's funeral being held today. It was delayed a week so that her family could come, or something. Who knows, maybe it's a Vulcan ritual…"

James Kirk looked as if someone had slapped him across the face. "His mother's funeral is _today_? When?"

"I have no idea, Jim," McCoy grumbled. "What, you planning to go?"

"Yeah," the captain answered. "Weren't you?"

"Listen, I know that you two have some weird, alternate reality connection or some shit, but-"

"All of us do," Kirk murmured softly. "I mean… It's hard to describe in words. You'd have to see it, and I don't think I was even supposed to see what I did of it. Bits leaked in through the ambassador's mind meld to tell me what was going on."

McCoy shook his head. "As long as he never does that with me, I'll be just fine. As far as I'm concerned Spock can stay in his own head and I'll stay in mine."

---------------

Spock's stature would never betray his deeply embedded feelings. He had managed to keep his composure throughout the visitation – the strange Human tradition that her side of the family had asked for – and even now, standing at her gravesite. A pastor that had known her in her youth spoke words that were meant to comfort, but how could one comfort someone who was supposed to hold no emotions, not even love for his own mother.

He was surrounded by the elders of Vulcan that he had helped to save and his father stood by his side. Their postures mirrored each other's, never betraying.

"Spock," a voice drifted to his sensitive ears as the preacher ended his short sermon.

The half Vulcan turned to see a woman that much resembled his mother in appearance and he had vague memories of her from when Amanda had taken him to Earth as a small child. "Aunt," he greeted.

A smile lit the aging woman's face. "Oh good! You remember me," she sighed, sounding pleased. "It had been so long, I wasn't sure. How are you doing, dear? They say… you were there."

Spock looked at the woman for a long moment. She expected for him to have some sort of emotional response to the situation. "I was," he said at length, forcing his features to remain neutral.

His aunt shook her head slightly, reaching a hand to touch his smooth face. "Amanda and I spoke often. She always was so proud of you. She always told me, 'Margie, you don't know what a wonderful man my son has become.' She was always so proud, Spock." Tears began to stream down her face. "I'm sorry, my dear. I know that Vulcans are not supposed to show emotions and that you're probably not used to such a display-"

"It is understandable, Aunt," Spock assured her.

"She spoke so highly of your accomplishments in Starfleet, and I heard what you did with that young man… Captain Kirk, isn't it?"

Spock nodded. "Yes."

"He must be a fine young officer," his aunt said with a smile through her tears. "Is he in the group of officers over there?"

The dark haired alien turned, unaware until that point that any of Starfleet had attended his mother's funeral. He was not surprised, though, because it was only logical that they were follow political protocol. What did catch him off his guard was the sight of Jim Kirk and Leonard McCoy standing in dress uniform several yards from him. "Yes, actually, he is," Spock finally managed. "If you'll excuse me?"

"Of course, dear."

"Margaret."

The aging woman turned to see Serek standing behind her. "Oh my! It has been a while."

Spock vaguely heard his aunt and father begin a quiet conversation as he approached his two shipmates. "Captain, if you are here for your test, I regret to say-"

"You could have told me that your 'prior arrangements' was your mother's funeral, Spock," Kirk said gently, closing the gap between himself and his first officer. "I'm not here for a damned test."

Spock stared at the younger man for a long moment, then turned to the doctor, eyebrows knit together in rarely shown confusion. "Why did you both come?"

"Jim seemed to think it'd help," McCoy answered with a shrug. "You may be a cold hearted bastard at times,

Spock, but you're still half human. You have to feel something about all this, and-"

"We're here to stand beside you," Kirk finished with an encouraging smile.

"Thank you," Spock said at length, speaking slowly as if he truly didn't know how to respond. He looked as if he might say something else, but stopped, eyes focusing on something beyond his new friends. Brown eyes widened and he took a sharp intake of breath.

"Spock?" Jim called his name, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You look like you've seen a ghost. You alright?"

"Yes," the alien answered quickly. "Of course, Captain. If you'll excuse me, I need to bid my farewells and finish a few things for the academy before the day's end."

"I think Starfleet will understand if you-"

"I really must go, Doctor," Spock cut him off. "Excuse me."

McCoy watched the taller man approach his father and share a few words. They exchanged the Vulcan salute that made the doctor's hands hurt just looking at it. He shook his head. "His leaving's got nothing to do with work."

"I know," Kirk answered with a grimace. "He's got to get through this his own way though."

---------------------

By the time that Spock returned to his quarters he felt utterly spent. It was everything he could do to not collapse before reaching his bed. Tears had made their way to his eyes and fell down his cheeks. Everything in him hurt and he did not know how to respond to it, nor did he have anyone to go to that he might ask. The one person that he would have trusted to give him advice on his human half was gone. He muffled a sob that escaped his throat.

"It is understandable if you feel for her loss," Serek had said at her grave, eyes gazing down at the casket.

Spock knew it was understandable, even expected of his half heritage, but that did not make it easier. To add to the pressures that seemed to be coming from all sides was his brief glimpse of a figure behind McCoy. Kirk's statement about seeing a ghost had never struck so close as it did then. The figure he'd seen had looked just like his mother.

A knock interrupted the Vulcan from his thoughts and he shifted his weight to sit up. The door slid open without his acknowledgement and Kirk looked embarrassed for a moment. "Sorry. Didn't mean to barge in," he murmured.

Spock stared at him for several long moments, his cheeks still wet with tears. "What can I do for you, Captain?" he managed, voice cracking slightly.

"I… wanted to check on you. You know, I don't remember my dad, but I still feel his loss every day. I thought-"

"Your sympathies have been noted and I am grateful, Captain, but now I simply need time to finish several things that need to be finished."

"Damn it, Spock," Kirk growled, frustration evident in his features. "You know, I'm trying here and-"

Spock stood, eyes slightly downcast. "Jim," he said quietly, catching his captain's attention. Their eyes met after a length. "I am grateful for your attendance today. Thank you."

Kirk nodded. "Just… don't hold it all in, okay?" He wanted to say more and looked as if he might for a moment, but turned instead. "Let me know if you need anything."

"Your test will be graded by tomorrow morning," Spock promised.

"Thanks. You give a hellava test, you know that?"

"I have been informed, yes."

-------------------

A/N: Poor Jim. He's working so hard to get that relationship that he caught glimpses of from Spock Prime. I know that the movie didn't show anything about that, and I haven't gotten that far in the book, but I would think that some of Spock and Kirk's friendship would have made its way into the mind meld, if for no other reason than it was so strong. So Kirk is now trying to, in his wonderful headfirst sort of way, trying to attain a friendship that took years in a few days. Gotta love Kirk.

And damn! I went downstairs to watch a show and came back up to find 13 new emails in my box. All from this story. Thank you so much!!

Ster J: At least in this story, they did it separately. I would think that she would stand apart for obvious reasons and that her family might have put it on for her. I pictured it as more of a traditional Human ceremony than how I would picture a Vulcan funeral.

Elvenstar Imrahil: Yeah, the SpockXUhura thing was really my only big complaint about the movie. It made no sense to me. Many things connected back to small and not so small things from the movie and series (the taking the test three times, the ice planet, various comments made by crew members…), but the only possible link that their relationship has is to… I think it's the first episode in the first season where Uhura tries to strike up a conversation with Spock and tells him that that is what she's doing and that he could respond by telling her that she looks nice. So yeah…. Now, Scotty, on the other hand, she has quite a bit of affection for in the fifth movie. So that's where my ship resides.

Jan 7: I could see one disgruntled higher up in the academy being completely pissed that Kirk had come so far in such a short period that he tries to trip him up and take the _Enterprise_, but surely it won't work! Hehe, not our dear captain. I don't know, it was just a thought. It really was just an opening and may or may not have too much of a weight on the story. I do like the idea that Spock was teaching before he joined the _Enterprise_ though.

Xxaznhjstarxx: Thanks much

Elliesmeow: And here it is! Rare that I write two chapters in one day.

DXRules 103: Thank you! I always love to hear that I have the characters in character. Especially Spock. He can prove rather troubling to catch just right. I'm glad the summery caught you and I'm hoping that it continues to wind along an interesting path. That is where it is intended to go!

GoddesofWrath: No, you are certainly not alone. Strange strange strange moments. Oh well. Thank you for the review!!

Dragonwitch250: I love Spock/Kirk friendship. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, so expect much of it.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three.

A/N: So, two things. I'm writing this chapter for dragonwitch250, because she wants it so bad. I was planning on having a couple moments here, but wasn't sure, and I'll go ahead and put it in. Yay!

Secondly, because I love having conversations with ya'll and I don't really know if you read my spastic author's notes, but ah well. My roommate last semester had the most amazing dreams ever. I mean, ninjas, harry potter, vampires and werewolves… Her dreams kick ass. We never could figure out how to telepathically get her to send them to me. So, last night, I had a dream about Star Trek. It was really nerdy and reminded me of one of those fanfics I can't stand reading, but it had Spock in it, so it's all right. Yay Spock has infiltrated my dreams!!

Oh, and yes, I know this is a third thing, but bare with me, Spock Prime, to avoid confusion, will be called either Ambassador or Ambassador Spock. I don't think he'll be in here much, but I have to admit that I adore Leonard Nemoy (bordering a Sheldon-obsession) so he must make an appearance at least.

Onward.

---------------------

"This could have easily received an A."

Spock glanced over to the aging ambassador, arching an eyebrow in question. The other man – or elder, as it stood – knit his greying eyebrows ever so slightly as he looked over the paperwork that his younger self had graded, studying it thoroughly. "I did not miss grade it," the young commander assured him.

"I am sure you did not," the ambassador responded and handed it back. "I think, tough, you may have a reason for grading slightly lower than you might have for anyone else. Trying to avoid the appearance of favouratism?"

"Not at all," Spock answered, glancing around to see if there was anyone else around. The room was empty save the two half Vulcans sitting and discussing their captain's final work in Starfleet Academy. The younger man seemed to relax slightly, shoulders not quite as rigid an and a hint of a frown on his face. "Merely avoiding an unwanted activity." He paused, glancing at the time traveled ambassador for a long moment and then grabbed at his cup of tea, seeming to hide behind it as he spoke. "Jim tried to make a deal with me, and you should know how those go…"He glanced over the cup to see a twinkle in the ambassador's dark eyes, but the other seemed to urge him on. "He is determined to… cheer me up, is that it? He had it in his mind that he must drag me out to one of his and Dr. McCoy's nights at the bar before we depart."

"What were the conditions?" Ambassador Spock asked.

"That he get an A."

"He did."

"That is an A-. It's different." Spock looked up after setting his cup down and cocked his head slightly. "I've always seen it as different."

It was amazing how the greying Vulcan could smile without his lips ever moving. It was something in his eyes that he had only begun to see traces of in his younger self. "Jim Kirk will not see it that way, I assure you." He paused, taking a sip from his own tea and looked as if he were weighing his options on something. A small sigh escaped him at last. "Spock, I spoke with your captain."

"Yes, I know," the younger answered. "Before he was captain."

"No," Ambassador Spock answered pointedly. "In recent times. "I attempted to wait for your departure before attending our… before attending the funeral service. It wouldn't have done for someone outside of those that already know to have noticed similarities between the two of us."

"What does this have to do with a term test?" Spock all but grumbled.

"He asked for my advice, since I had lived through much – including the death of my mother, though much later than you had to deal with it and under much different circumstances – and know what it is that you feel, though at times you yourself do not."

"You were the one who sent him to provoke me on the bridge that day."

"Jim knew what needed to be done," the ambassador said quietly. "And I knew that Jim must – no matter what alternate reality Nero produced – be captain of the _Enterprise_. Forgive me for the intrusion."

"Logical, with your knowledge," the younger Spock answered evenly. "What was your… advise to him, Ambassador?"

Aging dark eyes locked on to youthful ones. "I told him that his future self and I were always close and that I could tell him that Amanda's death pained you as it does me, though you would not know how to show it."

Spock seemed to think on these words for a moment and then nodded briefly. "He came to my quarters last night, after the funeral, and caught me in a… lapsing moment. I believe I may have offended him in some manner."

"I doubt that," the elder answered as he stood. "Try to understand that everything Jim Kirk does is through feelings of friendship towards you."

Spock nodded again. "Nemaiyo," he said in their native language.

"You are welcome."

-------------------

By the time that Spock left the embassy that day the sun had already begun to set. He moved along the streets, pulling his jacket around his shoulders to keep in what warmth he could. He would never admit it, but he missed the warmth of Vulcan. He missed the sands, the sun, the thinner air and the rituals. He missed his mother.

Spock blinked rapidly, dispelling any tears that might have crept upon him. He would not show weakness to everyone around him. He had a job to do. He had promised the paper the Kirk that morning and evening had already begun to set by the time he was searching him out. Though, technically, the captain should have been seeking his first mate out for the grades. It did not matter. Spock knew where to find him.

The room was loud and filled with young cadets as well as officers of Starfleet. The noise hurt Spock's ears and he dodged in and around the people, eyes gazing over the crowd to find one blond captain that would be wanting his scores if he were still sober enough to appreciate them. His eyes finally rested on him and he maneuvered through the people to the bar. "Jim."

Jim Kirk spun on the stool. "Spock! You did come!"

"You were supposed to pick this up, but as you did not I found you. Congratulations, I believe is the correct terminology."

Kirk took the paper and his eyes widened at the grade. "Damn."

"See?" McCoy asked from the stool next to him. "You do have a brain, Jim. Just don't forget to use it." He glanced back at their Vulcan shipmate. "You're joining us?"

"I do not believe so."

"Ah, c'mon, Spock. I made an A," Kirk said with a grin that seemed to take over his face.

"That is an A-," his first mate informed him. "If you'll…" His voice trailed off as one voice seemed to rise above the others. He scanned the room and finally stopped at a face that had been very familiar as a small child and grimaced. The figure spotted him and moved forward.

"Spock. It would appear that you were also one of the survivors then."

The half Vulcan tensed ever so slightly. "Obviously. Suvok, I did not know that you as well had made it off planet."

"Of course," the elder Vulcan responded, a glint of what might have been triumph shining in his eyes. Might have been, if he had not been Vulcan. "The Science Academy is highly prized, Spock. Surely you know that they would evacuate the scientist before others. It is only logical."

"Perhaps to the scientists," Spock said calmly.

"Do you question my logic?"

"I have questioned your logic since our youth, Suvok." He nodded ever so slightly, then raised his hand in the Vulcan salute with fingers parted. "Live long and prosper."

Suvok copied the gesture, but did not repeat the phrase. At his departure, Spock turned back to his friends who sat staring.

"What the hell was that?" McCoy gaped. "I thought you people didn't have any issues with each other."

"We… have disagreements in logical routs. He believed my father a traitor to our people when I was a child. I do not know if his thought process has changed or not."

"Why a traitor?" Kirk questioned.

Spock looked at him curiously as if he thought the answer might be obvious. "For marrying my human mother."

---------------

A/N: Okay, short chapters apparently, but it gets them out there quicker. Oh, and btw, "Nemaiyo" is Vulcan for "thank you". I've always thought it was funny that the Vulcans rarely spoke their own language to each other. Savick and Spock do at one point, but I don't remember them speaking it often.

Dragonwitch250: Well, he went. He didn't like it, but he went. It was not exactly how I expected it, but I would like to advise a great story to you that actually made me want to write a scene like it, but it just didn't fit. "Intellectual Stimulations" by Jack Hawksmoor is awesome. I loved it, so if you want a really good bar scene, that one is highly entertaining.

Ster J: Oops… I haven't gotten that far yet, but thank you for the tid bit of information. We could always say this is another sister… maybe? And to answer your question, they didn't retrieve it. It was an empty casket, but just because you can't retrieve a body doesn't mean you won't have a funeral for the person. From what I could tell in the movie she had done what Bones is always scared will happen to him: scattered in the middle of a transport.

Elliesmeow: I'm trying, at this moment, to picture a sappy McCoy… It makes me laugh. I've always loved Bones' character. There's a scene in the original series where he and Spock are being held captive separate from Kirk on a planet that is set up as if the Roman Empire never fell. They're trying to find a way to break out and help Jim and Bones corners Spock in the corner of the cell and says something to the extent of "I know you're afraid to live, because every day you live is one more day that you might slip and show emotion." There's a pause where he's in Spock's face and Spock seems to be weighing the words, then turns and very blandly says, "Really, Doctor?" Bones then sits back and says, "It's okay. I'm worried about Jim too." It's just a really cute, very Bones and Spock moment. Sorry, I know that's kind of long, but I really love their antagonistic friendship. It's so lovely.

LA Suka: thank you very much

IKeepAGoldfishInMyBra: Wow. What a name. Sorry, just had to comment on that first. It must be highly uncomfortable squirming and all. I'm glad I have you intrigued and I hope you enjoyed!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four.

A/N: Hehe… I like Danaa's continuation. Much fun. And on a sadder note, I'm almost out of Peanut Butter M&Ms… I don't smoke anymore, so these are my addiction. And I'm almost out…. Very sad.

------------

It was only a dream. He knew this, as it was the only logical outcome of the situation. His mother – who he had seen die – stood, trembling, just beyond him. Tears streamed down her face. Jim Kirk stood next to him, bloodied and beaten. His left eye was nearly swollen shut, but he had the same determined look on his young face that Spock had come to respect.

"A simple exchange," a voice said from the shadows and Spock saw his mother attempt to pull away, but her captor held her firmly. "Really, Kirk, I'm even letting you live."

"I won't give him up, you sorry bastard," Kirk's voice rang out through what seemed to be emptiness. He stepped forward, favouring his right leg. "I won't let you take him."

"Jim," Spock heard his own quiet, even voice. "What…?"

Kirk turned to look at his first officer and he appeared regretful. "I'm sorry I didn't listen to you, Spock," he murmured before turning his attention to their enemy. "Take me in exchange. Let them go."

A laughter that was quite literally haunting Spock's dreams echoed and Amanda was tossed to one side. He was by her side just in time to see the face of their attacker. Nero lunged at his captain, spear-like staff in hand, and ran him straight through. The Vulcan's eyes widened and he felt a scream rise in his throat.

"JIM!"

Spock woke, horrified at his own inability to control himself within his sleep. The nightmare left him trembling. It was absurd that he should dream such far-fetched fears. But he did not fear, no. He was Vulcan. He could not fear.

_"It's okay to be scared,"_ Amanda's last words echoed in his mind and fresh tears sprang to the corners of his eyes. They would leave out at eight AM the next morning and he had to find a way to gain control over himself before they did so. As it was, if he were Dr. McCoy he would not clear him for duty. He'd spent the previous day wrapping up any lose ends that needed dealing with before he left the planet and seeing _her_ everywhere he turned. Jim had come to visit him, but acted as if he might be ignoring the situation. How would he know to deal with it? Vulcans weren't supposed to be able to crack under pressure as Humans could.

Shaking his head he threw back the covers of his bed and set his feet on the floor. A shiver passed through him as he moved to the sink and splashed cold water on his face, fully waking him. This had to stop. His mother was gone and she would not wish him to anguish over her death. True, she might have always secretly wanted him to understand his Human heritage a little better, but she never would have wished for him to understand pain.

A knock came at his door and Spock dried his face off and moved towards it. Captain James T. Kirk stood in the hallway, his face beaming like a child on Christmas morning. "I didn't wake you, did I?" he asked.

There was a long moment of silence as the end of the nightmare replayed through Spock's mind upon seeing Jim's face. Finally, he was able to murmur a response. "No sir. I was already awake." He briefly wondered if it might be normal and wished he could glance back at his clock without being too obvious.

"I couldn't sleep all night," Jim confessed, eyes still bright. "I… You alright, Spock?"

"Of course, Captain. Why would I not be?"

Kirk looked at his boots briefly. "May I come in?"

If he had been Human, Spock would have been embarrassed by his lack of manners toward his captain. "Yes, Jim," he said quickly.

Jim moved in, listening to the door shut behind him. "Bones says you've been acting strange, even for you," he murmured lowly, as if worried someone outside – even though no one was moving yet at four in the morning – might hear him.

"My apologies," the Vulcan said crisply.

"Spock… I just need to know you're alright. I'm not going to ask you to take a psyc eval or anything like that." He briefly met the other's darker eyes, noting that Spock might even look startled at that. "Bones is just right, is all. You've been acting off since the funeral." There was another pause that Kirk seemed to be gathering his thoughts, stumbling over them at the same time that he gathered them. His voice hastened. "Not that that's abnormal, Spock. Don't think I'm-"

"Jim." The alien's stern use of his name stopped the young captain in his tracks. He looked up to see the smallest flicker of emotion cross the usually blank face. "Thank you for your concern, Captain, but I will make sure to fulfill my duties as expected. There is no need to-"

"I wouldn't ground you, Spock," Kirk answered without a second thought, eyes wide with the realization that Spock might think that. Hadn't he used his mother's death to keep him from the captain's chair only a couple of weeks earlier? "I need you up there."

Spock stared at him, studying his body language that seemed to tell the Vulcan everything about his being. The ambassador's words came back to him and he let out a very soft sigh. "And I will be there with you, Captain," he assured him.

Kirk grinned, clasping his second in command on the shoulder briefly. "Good to hear. See you at the docking station in a couple of hours."

"Yes," Spock agreed as he watched the younger man walk out of his quarters. He wasn't sure why this was happening, or if, perhaps, he really was cracking, but he could be sure that Jim Kirk would be there to hold him together if need be. He trusted the headstrong Human. He couldn't base that decision on any logic he knew, but somehow, he knew his mother would have approved in his decision.

-----------------------

"You spoke to him?"

"Yes, Bones."

"And what did he say?"

Kirk sighed, shooting his lead medical officer an agitated look. "He lost his mother, Bones. You know it's going to have some effect on him."

"You said that yesterday he kept staring off as if he were seeing someone… like he did at the funeral. Jim, we don't know anything about the limits of the Vulcan psyche. Those people that we were able to beam up from the planet's surface – not the elders – but the ones that went straight to sick bay-"

"I was down there, Bones, I know," Jim cut him off curtly.

"Yeah, then you saw that it's possible for a Vulcan to overload themselves. Some of those people snapped. I'm not telling you to kick Spock off the ship, I'm just saying that you've already seen him let loose and-"

"I pushed him to that."

McCoy groaned, leaning against one of the tables he'd been setting up in the medical bay. "Jim, all I know is you hated him just a few weeks ago. Loathed him. You pushed him as far as to snap emotionally – a Vulcan, mind you - and now you two are all buddy buddy. I like Spock, really, but I'm not sure I can clear him medically for this mission."

"Are you going to order a psychiatric evaluation for one of the best that Starfleet has to offer? For a Vulcan?" Kirk asked pointedly.

"Well…"

"I'm not ordering it. "

"Just promise you'll keep an eye on him, won't you Jim?" the doctor asked quietly. "I hate to say it, but it's unnerving."

"He's fine," the captain assured his elder friend. He sighed and looked up at the clock. "C'mon, let's get to the bridge. We'll be off in just a few minutes."

"Yessir, Captain," Bones grunted with hints of sarcasm in his voice.

-------------------

A/N: Wow, I'm not used to writing short chapters, but I like getting them up fast. Thanks for all the wonderful reviews!!

CrazyGunFire: I'm not overly surprised about there being so much. I mean, I'm sure that plenty of the people that went to go see it earlier are trekkies like myself, so they already had a good feel for the characters and just repositioned their writings for the details. That's what I did. Thank you very much for your kind review!

AnnoyinglyAnonymous : Hehe… I like your name. That's fun. And yes, you may have more!

Jan 7: Looking back, I agree with you about the memorial service, but alas, nothing I can do about it now. And don't worry, MarySues are not my thing. I have one original character that I've used before in stories, but she won't be making an appearance in any of my Star Trek stuff. She's pretty much primarily Gundam Wing nowadays and from what I understand by fans of hers that I've met, is not considered a MarySue, thankfully. Certainly not a perfect character there…. Anyway, back to this story, Amanda, at least for the sake of this story, was lost in transit of the beaming. Basically, what Bones is always complaining about possibly happening all through the series and movies, happened to her. I guess he has good reason to be worried now. So basically, I suppose what happened to Scotty's professor's dog. That's a horrible thought… oh my….

Danaa: Haha! I loved your little snippet! That was so much fun! I could see Jim saying something along those lines.

Lexicon: I'm not too much of a Generations fan because I grew up mostly on TOS, but I've seen (most?) of the movies with my dad as they came out, so when the last one hit I was devastated. It was my last link to Star Trek of any kind other than going out and buying books, which I did for a while. (Wow, I sound like a crack addict there…. I swear, I function in real life, honest.) So when I saw that this movie was coming out I just about had a fit of joy. I hear that they're even working on a follow up to this one that just came out with the same cast.

VulcanVamp: I'm not overly fond of Kirk/Spock slash. I've been known to read my fair share of shonen-ai stories in the anime department, but something about Kirk and Spock just makes me want to cock my head and try to comprehend, possibly frying my brain while doing so. I love stories that border though, those really, really close friendships. I think people should have more of those in our lives.

Moogsthewriter: It's a pain coming up with plots sometimes. Good luck with that. I actually started an TOS story, but I've been stuck so I decided to work on the 2009 movie instead, being that I'm addicted to it.

Elvenstar Imrahil : Yup! Thanks for the review!

Dragonwitch250: Nope, sorry. Though a drunk Spock would be highly entertaining…..

Shinigami061: Thank you so much! Good to know I've got the characters where they're supposed to be. Thank you!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five.

A/N: I finally got a box of peanut butter m&ms. Mmmm… good. They are addicting. On a note that has to do with the actual story here, my apologies for the delay. Granted, it's not a long delay, but compared to the couple chapters a day I had been running… Meh. Also, someone caught the line in the second chapter that I have been _waiting_ for someone to catch. Bravo! My congrats to you! Anyone else catch the obvious (in my mind, at least) reference to The Search for Spock?

----------------------

Captain James T. Kirk could not have looked prouder as he sat himself down in the captain's chair. He held his head high and took yet another look around the bridge. He couldn't imagine that the wonder of it all would ever wash away, even with time. He simply hoped that he could always captain the _Enterprise_.

The doors to the lift swished opened and caught his attention. Spock looked back to his usual self as he strode onto the bridge, manning his science station with an ease that made Kirk slightly jealous. He had been slightly worried when his half-Vulcan first officer had not been on board when he had arrived. It was not too farfetched as he had rushed over to the ship after their discussion. McCoy had been one of the last ones to come on board, complaining all the way about the transporters.

"You don't know that those won't someday scatter pieces of me all over the universe, Mr. Scott!" he had grumbled as he stepped off of the platform, glaring at the lead engineer.

Scotty had grinned widely at the comment. "I'll tell ye what, Dr. McCoy, ye do that and ye can find tha' dog tha' landed me on Delta Vega."

Bones' colour seemed to drain from his face at this and he shook his head, mumbling the whole way to his medical station.

"Captain, I have affirmation that all personnel have boarded and we are cleared to leave the docking station," Nyota Uhura announced clearly.

"Thank you, Lieutenant," Kirk responded. "Helmsman?"

Hikaru Sulu nodded once. "All ready, sir."

"Mr. Chekov, set a course for New Vulcan. Mr. Sulu, warp 4."

"Yessir," Sulu answered along with Chekov's, "Right away, Keptin."

The crew of the _U.S.S. Enterprise _felt the gentle shift as she propelled herself into warp drive and they started off towards a small planet that had been set aside for the new Vulcan colony. Their mission, as had been explained to Kirk, was only to check up on the relatively small colony. The lost people of Vulcan had been placed there and some were still being transported from all reaches of the galaxy. Even aboard the _Enterprise_ that day were several travelers that the Federation had decided to carry. Sadly, Kirk thought he might have seen the irking face of the strange Vulcan Suvok that Spock had spoken two several nights before onboard. Little he could do about it.

Spock's father Serek and Ambassador Spock had returned to New Vulcan the day before and awaited the _Enterprise_'s arrival.

Kirk took a moment to glance around the bridge. Familiar faces moved about, performing their duties. He felt a swell of pride within himself as he watched his crew. They were a brave lot, he knew.

"You know you have a good crew when that feeling never goes away," Pike had told him just before leaving. He and Jim had spoken directly before the latter had boarded. "When, years after the intense battle, you can still look at them and be proud of the men and women they've become. I think you've got that kind of crew, Jim. Your father would be proud."

"Jim?"

Kirk shook himself out of the recent memory and looked up to see Bones standing just to his right. "You have everything set up?"

"They did most of the work for me before we even got here," the doctor answered, sounding more irritated than grateful.

There was a long moment of silence before the younger man looked up at his friend. "Something bothering you, Bones?"

The other frowned slightly, glancing around. "You're going to make me beam down to that planet when we get there, aren't you?"

This caught Kirk off his guard a bit. "Is there something the matter with-"

"It's not the planet itself," McCoy said hastily. "It's the beaming."

This brought a laugh from the captain and his lead medical officer glanced around to make sure no one noticed. Jim might not care, but he was a leading doctor in Starfleet, placed on one of the best ships there was. "You could be a little more subtle," he growled.

"Bones," Jim managed between chuckles. "Scotty's not going to rearrange you."

"You don't know that," the doctor grumbled. "Malfunctions happen all the time. They had to piece this ship back together in a couple of weeks. You think they fixed _everything_?"

"Yes, I do, because Scotty checked it out himself, and I think that man's having a love affair with this ship, so if I trust anyone to give her a clean bill of health, it's our head engineer." He paused, briefly trying to gain control of himself. "Don't worry about it, Bones. You'll get used to it. You got used to going into space, didn't you?"

"I swear, Jim, if you bring up the first day we met one more time I'm going to jab you with a hypo."

"Wouldn't be the first time, Doctor," Kirk answered with a grin. "Mr. Sulu, status?"

"On steady course for New Vulcan, sir. We should reach it in twenty-four hours."

"Steady as she goes, Helsman."

---------------------

A/N: Yeah, so that's the infamous filler chapter that I always seem to have and always hate. There's always one or two chapters that I know have to be in there, but nothing happens, so I made it shorter in hopes that I can simply continue on. And I tried to throw some humour in there, but being half asleep I don't know if It'll be as funny to those that are fully awake.

DragonWitch250: I think our dear Mr. Spock's idea of 'fun' would be being left on an unknown planet with a tricorder and his own curiosity…. I can't really see him having fun like we humans do.

Monroe-Mary: Oh this one is amazing. It only took two days to read (and I could have read it in one with no problem if I'd wanted to… very quick read). From what I can tell about blockbuster hits and the books they write after the fact/with them (as opposed to movies made from books) they write them with all the cut scenes too. So this one has some extras in it that made me smile.

SpockTreky: I'm very much a Spock/Kirk/Bones friendship supporter. While I think that Scotty, Uhura, Chekov, and Sulu were a huge part of what makes Star Trek Star Trek, I truly believe those three to be the center of it all. So don't worry, Spock has friends.

Nkundra: Your description makes me want to draw that… and then be afraid of the drawing. It would have to be done in anime style (with the puppy ears and all) and I don't believe I've ever tried that with Star Trek characters… hmm… I'll let you know if I do it and post it on DA or anything. If I do, you will definitely be noted as the inspiration. Oh, and sleep deprivation is wonderful in that you can come up with some of the wackiest ideas ever. It's wonderful. My roommate from last semester and I made full use of it at any time possible. Oh that's wonderful about the 3 movie deal! I hope that's true.

Shinigami061:Haha, I hate when I do that in reading, and it happens more than I care to admit. Reading along, all nice and lovely, then some dies or something and you start freaking out, reread, and realize it's a dream or something. Yeah…. Been there, done that too. Thanks for the sweet review!

KatKola: It's okay, I just hope you continue to enjoy my story.

DXRules103: Don't OD on your high then. And I'm sorry, if the last chapter was short, this one definitely is. My apologies.

PlayfulSylph: I pull the tight bond from the original. Though this is an alternate reality, the author (be it JJ Abram's authors or the fanfic authors here) have to question themselves on if these characters would still follow a basic pattern of what their lives would be like. Deep down, Spock is Spock and Jim is Jim and so on, even though so much has been changed. I believe their friendships would form much the same, personally. I'm delving more into that in a personal novel I'm working on that has to do with alternate realities and other dimensions etc etc… I won't dive into it too much here, but I think it's something that should go on in the back of every author's mind that is working in an alternate universe.

VikingJedi: Thank you so much. I've seen it twice now and am looking for a friend to go see it with again. Lol. I'm trying to convince my dad to go see it again, since he's the one that introduced me to Star Trek in the beginning. I'm so jealous of him because he can lift one eyebrow and I can't lol. Ah well… That's the extreme nerd talking, but thank you so much for your kind words!

VulcanVamp: Yay! The balance is there! Sweetness without cavities! Hehe… you and me both on showing Spock emotions, but then that would be changing him wouldn't it? I'm afraid we might not love him so much if we did that, so, alas…..

IKeepAGoldfishInMyBra: Yes, I'd call it a rather large part of it if I go where originally planned on going with this, but also the reactions of everyone around as well.

Pichu172B: Hehe… Yeah. I like the way that they portrayed Kirk in the new movie. I heard a lot of things said about how it was done, but personally, I think they did a great job with it, so hopefully I'm just continuing on with that.

Jan7: My dear, I was so happy to receive your review! Thank you for the comment about the Spocks… I was a little worried about to handle that. Before I started writing this, I was writing on an original series because I wasn't sure I wanted to work with the two Spocks, if I wanted to keep the Spock/Uhura relationship, or exactly how to handle this particular timeline as J.J. Abrams set it up, but I'm glad that I seem to be getting good responses for how I am handling it. Your comment on Amanda… That may be true. After reading that part in the book (and I'll have to find a way to go see the movie again so I can watch that part in detail and study it… I just get too caught up in it to remember things like that, it's horrible) I'm inclined to believe you, which has me rewriting some details… but thankfully, I have yet to actually type those chapters out yet, so it won't be difficult. Thank you very much!

LunarEclipse: I hope it was soon enough, sorry for the delay!

Ara Goddess of the Broken: You are wonderful!!! You're the first person to catch that phrase when I thought that a ton of people would. Search for Spock is by far not my first favourite of the older movies (Wrath of Khan may be…. Or possible Final Frontier) but it's not my least either. I love the interaction between Savick and Spock in that one… but that's just me. I did also, obviously, enjoy Bones' reaction to having Spock in his head. I have to admit, one of my favourite quotes he makes is 'That green-blooded sonofabitch, this is revenge for all the arguments he lost!' Hehe… Gotta love McCoy. I just thought a reference needed to be made for my fellow trekkies out there. Thank you for being the first to note it! You truly made my week by that!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six.

He found him, after a considerable length of time looking, on the second to top deck. He stood staring out of the large window that looked out into space, shoulders squared and hands clasped behind his back. He didn't react upon his entrance, so Kirk could not be sure if he had heard him or not. With those ears, though, it would be odd if he hadn't.

"Spock?"

The Vulcan looked almost startled as he turned. "I'm sorry, Captain, am I needed?"

"Pretty easy sailing," Kirk responded as he moved to stand next to his first officer. He mirrored the other's stance, albeit a bit less rigid. "I don't suppose you're ready to talk about it, hmm?"

"Talk about it?" Spock echoed, turning a curious eye to his superior officer. "I am afraid that I do not understand, Captain."

Jim gazed out the window at the vastness of space. It truly was beautiful. Had there really been a day when he had wanted nothing more than to avoid all of this? He vaguely remembered those days, but they seemed a lifetime away. Much like two weeks prior when he and his now first officer, then acting captain, had fought on the bridge. He let a deep sigh escape his lips. "Something's been bothering you. I'm not dumb, Spock, you know that."

"I never meant to imply that I thought so, sir."

"Spock, I'm speaking to you as a friend."

"Of the same thing that you spoke to me of in my quarters. I assure you that I can perform my duties-"

"Yes, you said that earlier this morning." He had not made eye contact yet, but now Jim turned and latched a very strong look on his science officer. "Spock, I need you to tell me what's going on. You know I need you 100%. If it helps, I'll keep it confidential. It's just… sometimes it helps to talk to someone."

Spock stood for a moment, analyzing the situation. "I would prefer if this were only between the two of us," he said slowly.

"Of course. You have my word."

The half Vulcan nodded once. "Since her funeral, I have been catching glimpses of a woman who looks strangely as my mother did."

"Like a ghost?"

"I do not believe in ghosts, as you would call them, and because my mother was incapable of performing a mind meld, she could not…" He paused, checking all of his restraints. "She could not transfer her katra as a Vulcan would. Though, I do not believe I am losing my mind, either."

"The last person on this ship that could lose their mind would be you, Spock," Kirk chuckled.

"I do not see the humour in that statement, Captain."

"I'm sorry," the younger man answered, waving the statement off. "Difficult to explain… But you've been seeing this woman? Is she… solid, or spirit-like?"

Spock took note of the hesitations in Jim's voice and cocked his head slightly. "If you do not believe me, you are very much at liberty to say so, sir. Please do not patronize me."

"I'm sorry, Spock. I've never been one to believe in those sort of things, you know? And you said yourself that you don't believe in them either."

Spock looked away momentarily, horribly regretting his decision to open up to his captain. "I said as you know them. There are many things on Vulcan…._were_ many things on Vulcan that Humans do not understand."

"That you can't explain?"

"Not in the length of time that we have to linger here, sir."

Jim nodded slowly, unable to find anything to say.

"A mind often breaks due to extreme emotional stress. Though I cannot say that I am unaffected by the things that have happened recently, I can say that I have a better grasp on control than I might have if I were fully Human."

"Meaning don't report this to Dr. McCoy?"

"Isn't that what confidentiality means, Captain? Dr. McCoy does not have a grasp on Vulcan intellect or psyche."

Kirk laughed at this. "I'll make sure that he doesn't hear of your opinion of his from me," he promised. He might have said more, but a sharp jolt of the ship sent both captain and first officer tumbling off their feet.

The intercom buzzed, grabbing both men's attention. Sulu's voice echoed through the speakers. "Captain?"

"Kirk here, Mr. Sulu. What the hell was that?"

"I think you should get back to the bridge as soon as you can, sir. Something strange has happened."

"Obviously. We'll be up there in a minute."

Kirk and Spock made their way as quickly as they could to the lift and were joined by the chief engineer. Montgomery Scott looked slightly flustered. "Captain, I'm glad to see ye here, sir," he said as he jogged to keep up with him.

"Scotty, do you know what the hell happened?" Kirk asked, sounding harsher towards the engineer than he meant to.

"Something cut all our power suddenly, sir. Dragged us out of warp without our command to. It's played hell on our engines. Didn'a make them for sudden stops like that. Even emergencies have a power down-"

"Yes, Mr. Scott, I know," Kirk cut him off, waving his hand. "Bridge," he instructed the lift.

"Bridge," the computer's voice echoed.

"You believe it comes from an outside source, Mr. Scott?" Spock asked, running all possible options through his head.

"Can't say for sure, sir," Scotty answered and the doors opened. All three men spilled onto the bridge.

"Status," Kirk ordered.

"Instruments off line, Captain," Sulu reported. "We're dead in space."

"Our signals are jammed before you ask, Captain," Uhura informed him. "I've tried raising anyone on any channel, but they seemed to be blocked."

"Keep try, Lieutenant. Any ideas what's caused this?"

"The readings around us are very odd, Captain," Spock said from his sudden place at his station. Kirk hadn't noticed him move from his side, nor take the young ensign's position. He watched his first officer turn a sharp eye on the youth. "Did you not notice this?"

The kid looked nervous under the Vulcan's stare. "I'm s-sorry, sir… I was thrown off when we stopped… I'm sorry sir."

"Ensign Richter, is it not?"

"Yessir. I took a course from you sir. I took an exobiology course from you, sir," Richter managed.

"Next time, Ensign Richter, focus on what is at hand, not your fear," the Vulcan said in what might have been considered a cold tone if he had been Human.

"What are you picking up out there, Spock?" Kirk asked, knowing that his science officer had the best chance in figuring out exactly what they were up against.

"It appears to be some sort of distortion in space," Spock responded. "I can't pinpoint exactly what it is without more data, Captain." He looked up from his machinery. "Whatever it is does not appear to be letting us go. It is acting almost as a tractor beam that will hold us where we are."

"But it blew my engines!" Scotty growled out.

"Scotty, get down to the engineering room. I want those engines back online, you hear me?"

"On it, sir," the Scotsman replied.

"Mr. Chekov, put us on yellow alert. We don't know that there's something actual out there with malicious intent, but if there _is_ something unseen, we'll be ready for it."

"Yes, Keptin," Chekov answered and punched in the alert.

"Mr. Sulu? Are we able to raise shields?"

"Yessir."

"Then do it."

The ship sudden jolted into motion and everyone was momentarily thrown off balance. Kirk reached to his intercom system. "Scotty, you have those engines back already? I knew you were good, but damn."

"Wish I could take credit for it, sir," Scotty answered, sounding a bit frustrated. "We're still offline."

Kirk looked towards his helmsman who could only shake his head in bafflement. He then looked towards Spock who was studying his readouts with an intent expression. "It would appear, Captain, that the abnormality is what is moving us."

"Where to, Mr. Spock?"

"That sir, I cannot tell you."

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A/N: Okay, definitely more substance to this one. Yay for substance!

Dragonwitch250: Yup! Thanks for reviewing.

Shinigami061: I adore Bones. He's probably my second favourite character, even though I write much more on the Spock/Kirk friendship, I have an insane amount of respect for DeForest Kelley that originally played him and this new guy was damn good. I just love Bones in general… He's got the best one-liners in the whole series.

Secret Thought: Just as I said to Shinigami, I love Bones to death. And I went on a run a chapter or two ago to someone else about how I believe that Kirk, Spock, and Bones were the center-post to the show, that if any one of them had left, TOS would never have been the same as it stood.

Ara Goddess of the Broken: Thank you very much, and yes, you still remain the only one who has commented on it. Very sad, but thank you for noticing it!

Lunar Eclipse: Thank you.

DXRules103: Thank you, because that would truly be dreadful, but I'm not sure you can ever get too much Spock… Hmmm… I'm willing to try, for experiments sake, of course.

Jan7: You're right about TOS. Thank you for pointing that out. Now I don't feel _quite_ as bad about my filler chapter.  
I would like to take a moment to thank you for being anal about plot details. My brain tends to work faster than my fingers do, so sometimes the words don't always come out right and it helps to have reviewers that will let me know. I'm striving to get some of my original stuff published, so the more critical reviews I get here, the better my writing gets over all. I am very grateful. Thank you.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven.

"I am getting stronger readouts the closer that we get to planet, Captain."

Kirk looked up, his eyes wary of what might happen. "Still not conclusive evidence on what it is, Mr. Spock?"

The Vulcan shook his head. "No sir." He paused, glancing briefly at the data reader and then back towards Jim. They had been pulled along by the substance –whatever it was, even the science officer could not tell still – and seemed to have them on route to a planet just off the path they would have taken to New Vulcan. It was a small planet, tucked away, and loomed in darkness and shadow. "Perhaps I would receive a better reading if I were to beam to the surface."

Kirk looked toward the screen, seeming the planet that appeared to glare back at him. "What do we know about it, Spock?"

"Shriven II, Class L, uninhabited by any known life forms. Its place in its solar system hides it from the sun, making it difficult to sustain life, though not impossible."

"Something like Delta Vega?" Jim asked.

"Temperatures are much like it, though no clouds form on this planet, therefore no snow falls."

"The whole thing screams 'stay away,'" Uhura murmured from her chair. "Are we going down there, Captain?"

Kirk let out a long breath and stood. "Mr. Spock, Mr. Chekov, I want you two with me in the transporter room. Mr. Sulu, you have the bridge." He paused momentarily, looking at the young Japanese-American helmsman. "I want to be let known of any changes when it comes to ability to get away, do you understand?"

"Yessir," the pilot answered.

"Right. Okay, you two, let's get going and see if we can figure out just what this is." He stopped by the comm. system and tapped on it. "Kirk to sickbay."

"Finally decide to bring me up to speed on what the hell is going on up there?" McCoy's agitated voice met his ears.

"Absolutely, Bones. I need you in the transporter room now, please." He cut off the communication before his chief medical officer could argue.

------------------

Leonard McCoy had been told to remain in sickbay when the ship had come to a sudden stop. He had done so, though now wished for explanations. All he knew was that Jim had ordered him to the transporter room – where he was sure to be planning to rearrange his particles – and quickly fitted with a heavy coat. Kirk, Spock, and Chekov entered the room shortly after several ensigns had been well threatened by a very irate doctor.

"Jim, dammit, tell me what's going on!" Bones growled.

"We're getting readings of an unknown substance that has halted us in our tracks. There is a stronger reading emitting from the planet below – which the substance has taken us to, by the way – but we don't know much about the planet except there is supposed to be no intelligent life there, so we're beaming down to investigate and hopefully free up the _Enterprise_."

McCoy stared at his younger friend for several long second. "So you're saying we know nothing about this, but we're going down there to say hi?"

"Well… I wouldn't have put it like that," Jim managed.

"We do not know what we are going down to investigate, Doctor, or if it would even have the ability to greet us in a way that both it and we understand."

Bones could feel his irritation rise. It was going to take a very, very long time to get used to the Vulcan in front of him, he was sure, as at the moment he was not entirely sure if the dark haired hybrid was stating the obvious or trying to make a Vulcan version of a joke.

"It's possible that the red matter's black hole disrupted something, isn't it?" Chekov piped up as he slid the heavy coat over his then shoulders.

"This is near where Nero's ship was destroyed in the black hole," Spock murmured, almost thoughtfully. "Curious."

"Okay, now I don't even want to think about that. You've already got Scotty rearranging me to get me to the planet's surface, and I don't want to add disrupted space into all of that," McCoy growled as he glared pointedly at the transporter.

Kirk shook his head at his friends and stepped up to the transporter. "Let's get this over with and get on with our mission, shall we, gentlemen?" He waited for the others to join him. "Alright, Mr. Scott, energize."

----------------------

The surface of Shriven II was bitter cold when the landing crew rematerialized. Winds bit through their protective gear and seemed to reach their very cores. They had landed in a wide stretch of land that seemed to have nothing for miles, save a small mountain range a ways northward that might have even been called a hillside on Earth.

"Please tell me our destination is that cave I see," Bones called over the howls.

"That would be where the readings are emanating from, Doctor," Spock answered and started for it. Kirk walked along side of him, the other two trailing begrudgedly behind. McCoy was going to give Jim an earful later, he'd make sure of it. They had planned for New Vulcan which had much the same atmosphere that the previous planet had had. Thin air, but at least it was dry and hot. None of this blistering cold without even the comfort of snow.

"I get it," the CMO grumbled as they stepped into the cave, the howling fading away and each member seemed to take a moment to gather themselves.

"Kirk to _Enterprise_," Jim called over the communicator, hoping that it would reach where they were at.

"Enterprise_ here, Captain_," Uhura's voice answered him. "_It would seem we have your signal as of now, but it is very weak sir._"

"Understood. Keep us informed. Kirk out."

"Get what, Dr. McCoy?" Chekov questioned.

"We're in hell, Chekov. This is hell and we've done something to land us here."

"That is highly illogical," Spock countered as if he could not possibly note the sarcasm in McCoy's tone. The doctor responded with some retort, but the Vulcan did not hear it. His eyes had become suddenly fixed towards the back of the cave. It was dark, almost so much so that one could not be fully sure if it were a tunnel they were seeing or the shadows of the back of the cave, but whatever was there – or had been there – Spock saw it.

"What is it?" Kirk asked, eying his first officer carefully. "Spock?"

"It would seem that the contents of our earlier discussion have replayed themselves, Captain," the half-Vulcan answered vaguely.

It took a moment for realization to flash across Jim's face and then he merely stared, as if waiting for Spock to continue. When he did not, he said, "And you want to go down there and find out exactly what it is?"

"I would," Spock answered honestly. He held up his tricorder as evidence for his next words. "The readings show that what we are looking for is further this way. It is only logical, being that we came down here to find the source of this, that we follow it down."

"Communications won't reach that far, Spock," McCoy countered. "You heard Uhura on the comm.!"

"Yes, Doctor, I did."

Jim shook his head. "Bones, Chekov, I want you both to stay here. We won't go too far, as we won't be able to get word if something happens via comm. Wait for us." He turned to look at Spock. "And don't you dare – before you even start – quote regulations about Captain and First Officer both going into a situation."

"I already knew the futility of the endeavor, sir," Spock responded.

Kirk nodded once, checking his belt for all the needed. "Alright, let's get this over and done with. I'm ready to get back and get on our way as soon as possible."

----------------------

A/N: So, on a personal level, I'm sore and tired from helping my parents move boxes all day. Then we went to go see Night at the Museum 2. Oh the fun of movies! Moving, not so much, but movies, very much. Also, I got a job that I'm starting tomorrow, so bear with me if things get a tad bit slower. I'm not saying they will, but it's just a warning in case.

Lunar Eclipse: Thank you

Dragonwhitch250: Still no news on exactly what has them, but they're getting closer to the source!

Shinigami061: I forgot that he played in Lord of the Rings! Wow… what a change. From straight fantasy to straight scifi… I've never understood why those two have been put into similar catagories. Ah well, I guess extreme change isn't very abnormal in the position of Leonard McCoy because DeForest Kelley played in quite a few Western roles before hitting it as Bones. Strange combination there…. Ah well. He is horribly missed. I still remember the day that my dad told me that he died. Very sad.

Yume: Thanks very much

Lady Merlin: I've always thought Kirk has a sweet side (even though he can't seem to use it to KEEP a lady in his life… hmm… I swear that man has littered the galaxy with his children by the time of his death, even if they only mention one child) and I love playing on tightly bonded friends in my stories. Glad you liked it

PlayfulSylph: I'm stepping into Vulcan mysticism here which makes me slightly uncomfortable, as I don't know much about it. I know about as much as I've explained thus far (in the last chapter) but that's kind of what I've leaned for (in Spock's mind, anyway) in this… Wow, does that make any sense at all?

DXPrincess: Thank you very much. I've had a lot of years to become accustom to the characters but only a few weeks to try to pick apart these alternate realities' brains. It's fascinating, truly, to delve into this. Though I was disappointed in the beginning with the whole 'Nero changed everything so now we live in an alternate time line' scenario which seemed to be almost a copout at the time, but I'm starting to like it more and more.

Secret Thought: Yes yes… I don't believe Star Trek can be Star Trek without these two becoming friends at some point.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight.

A/N: Round three today on the Star Trek movie. I convinced my dad to come along with me so I wasn't sitting by myself and he said I was 'entertaining' watching it.... I guess I get a little intense through the whole thing and start quoting at the end along with Spock....

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"The passengers are beginning to become alarmed," Uhura stated from her position, fingering the communicator in her ear carefully. It had been a sudden deluge of questions from their stern guests, but to be honest she was surprised the questions hadn't begun earlier.

Sulu sighed. "Still no word from Captain Kirk?"

The linguist shook her head. "Last I heard he and Spock journeyed further into a cave, out of communication range. Dr. McCoy and Mr. Chekov are trying to keep us informed, but they don't know any more than we do."

The doors opened to the lift and a tall Vulcan entered the bridge. "I wish to speak with Captain Kirk please," he said crisply and politely. "A yellow alert was issued some time ago, but none of the passengers were given any information."

"Captain Kirk is on the planet below now trying to get some answers," Sulu responded, motioning briefly to the planet in which they were being held over, unable to move. "Dr. McCoy, Mr. Spock, and Mr. Chekov have accompanied him and we are under orders to wait for a response." _Since we can't do much more than that right now, _he added silently to himself.

Uhura stood, placing her hand on the Vulcan's shoulder. She ignored his subtle attempt to pull away from the contact. "Mr...?"

"Suvok. I am a scientist from our academy."

"Mr. Suvok," Uhura continued sweetly, ignoring his credentials, "you will know something as soon as we do. I swear to you."

If a Vulcan could have looked irritated, Suvok did. "Very well," he said at last, sweeping his cold gaze over the bridge. "Thank you for your time, ma'am."

Uhura smiled, ushering him out and waited until the lift doors closed. She leaned against the doors and sighed. Jim had better hurry, because they couldn't keep a group of Vulcan scientists – some of the sharpest minds in the galaxy – from asking too many questions forever.

-------------------

As the cave wound further and further back, Spock seemed to tense. Something seemed oddly familiar about the situation, but he could not quite put his finger on what it was. The sound of his tricorder beeping wildly averted his attention.

"What is it?" Kirk asked, peering over at the contraption.

"We're closing in on the abnormality," Spock answered, adjusting the controls as he needed to. Even with the adjustment the tricorder screamed in protest against the energy it was sensing.

"Still no idea what it is?"

"It is an intense energy changing origins... almost as if it is moving, Jim." The science officer looked at his superior carefully. "I've never seen or studied anything quite like it."

"Well, maybe we've discovered some new life form, Spock. Let's just hope it's friendly, whatever it is." Kirk took another step forward and the ground began to shake beneath him. His eyes widened. "Has Shriven II ever shown seismic activity?"

"Not according to the Federation's records, but we do not have sufficient data to say that it never happens," Spock answered, trying to find his balance as the tremors became more and more violent.

"We need to get back to the front, Spock. We'll have to find some other way to deal with this entity of ours."

"I understand, Captain," the first officer answered. The ground took a sudden lurch under his feet and he stumbled forward, falling ungracefully to his knees.

Kirk rushed over to him as the cave began crumbling around them. He grabbed Spock by the shoulders, both balancing the taller man and using him to balance. The two started for the entrance as one last vibration cut through the cave, bringing rocks crashing down around their heads. They could not move fast enough to avoid all of them and Jim cursed silently. He'd known better than to come down to this planet. With that on his mind, everything went dark.

------------

"I'm picking up seismic activity on the planet's surface," Ensign Richter spoke up, cutting through what had been a reasonably long silence.

"Location?" Sulu asked.

"Right where the landing crew beamed down, sir," the young scientist answered.

The helmsman did not have to give the order before Uhura's fingers were moving over her control panel. "_Enterprise_ to landing party. Come in, landing party."

_"This is McCoy here, Uhura. What the hell is all this?"_ The doctor sounded slightly frazzled, obviously having been caught up in at least some of the earthquake.

"We have readouts of seismic activity at your location, Doctor."

_"No shit!"_

"Have you had any word from the captain or Commander Spock?"

_"Not a damn thing. Knowing Jim's luck, though, he was probably right in the middle of it."_

"If my calculations are correct, then it looks like the focal point of the 'quake is deep inside the cave where they're at!" Richter said in a rushed tone.

_"Alright, copy that," _McCoy answered, obviously having heard the young scientist. _"We'll do what we can from down here. At least Chekov and I aren't hurt."_

"Understood, Doctor. Keep us informed. _Enterprise_ out."

-----------------------

Spock felt as if his head might explode. It was an exaggeration, he knew, but he had heard his mother utter those very words at one point in his young life, and he now understood the sentiment. With great effort he began to roll debris off of himself, tugging and pulling his long, thin body upwards. Most everything felt relatively intact. Next order of business: find the captain. He had been right next to him, so he could be far.

The Vulcan began to dig in the most logical place that he could hope to find his superior officer. A tuff of blond hair was his first sign of true victory. "Jim?" he called softly as to make sure and not incite another cave in.

The younger man groaned as the rocks were being moved away and his eyes fluttered opened, focusing very slowly on his first officer. "Spock?" His voice was dry and pained. He hurt. That was the first thing he realized, and there was a great weight boring down on him. It took a moment for his muddled mind to realize that he was still buried and Spock was digging him out.

"Right here, Captain," the Vulcan assured him, taking stock of the Human's injuries. His face was bruised and swollen as if he had been in the middle of a bar fight. His uniform – kept in surprising pristine order most of the time – was ripped and shredded, revealing scratched and bruised skin underneath. When he was fully uncovered, Spock could finally see that his black pants were now stained even darker with the red liquid that as coming from his right leg.

"Damn it," Kirk groaned, pulling back the fabric gently. "This's gonna hurt in the morning."

"It does not now?" Spock asked, a confused look crossing his features.

This brought a gruff laugh from the injured captain. "Of course it does. It's an expression, Spock."

"Right," the half-Vulcan answered, though if he were truly honest he did not fully understand, but they didn't have time for Jim to sit down and explain in detail. They had to get up and get moving. He stopped, suddenly, as Jim stumbled to his feet.

"What?" Kirk asked, eyeing the other. If he hadn't known Spock like he did, and if the other hadn't been half Vulcan, he would have been sure that it was fear reflecting in those dark, usually unreadable eyes.

"It is strange, but I had a dream much like this just before you came to my quarters early this morning," Spock answered slowly.

"I didn't know that Vulcan's had precognitive abilities," Kirk answered as he limped him way to the piled rocks, searching for their escape route.

"We do not."

"Then what's the problem?"

"Jim, you were-" He stopped at the look he received. There was no point in continuing when he had not answer for it either. "Pay it not attention."

Kirk nodded once. "Looks like our only option is to keep going the way we were, Spock," he said at length. "The cave-in completely blocked off our escape."

"Will you be alright to do so?"

"I think so. I'll just move a little slower is all. I really busted my leg this time. Bones is going to yell at me." He sighed heavily, limping along and using the wall to balance himself. "How 'bout you? That's a nasty gash there."

Spock lifted one hand to his temple and came away with pale fingers stained dark green. No wonder his head hurt. "I believe I will be alright," he answered.

"Good. Then I guess the only way we can go is forward now."

--------------------

a/n: Hey, I've been getting a lot of notices about people favouriting/alerting this story. Thank you so much! That means a lot to me, but I'd also love to hear what you're thoughts are on how it's going! Please please please! I'm a huge addict when it comes to reviews (and peanut butter m&ms, but there's not a whole lot you can do about that....)

Dragonwhitch250: I'd actually thought about a cave in, and I guess it works out best this way, so yay! You get a point for guessing! I hope that doesn't mean I'm predictable... We'll just say that you're clairvoyant to make me feel better....k?

GoddesofWrath: I have to say, every time I see your icon (b/c it's sooo tiny on the reviews page) I think it's Kamui from the anime X/1999 lol. Sorry. Yay for catching up!

anonymoud: Good! I always love to hear those things, because then that means I've done what I set out to do. I hate it when I rush stories. So thank you very much!

A-zla: Thank you! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well!

Shinigami061: Well, in all honesty, if the top ranking crew members _didn't_ go on the away missions, it would have been a very boring show. I mean, seriously... they would all have been sitting up on the _Enterprise_, waiting on the action that was taking place down below, but we wouldn't know anything about it because, guess what, the stars are stuck in the ship! That would suck.... lol.

CrazyGunFire: I'm sorry you've been sick. I hope you're feeling better. To be honest, I'm a huge TOS fan, and not so much on TNG.... Generations ruined it for me, horribly. I love Picard, I love Data, and when the movies came out, I went to see them, but I don't remember seeing the series (doesn't mean I didn't, I just don't remember it) so therefore don't have quite as much knowledge about that as I do TOS, so as to Q.... I'll have to look him up. Hmm... I should have asked my father today, he's a big TNG fan.

Yamihoole: Thank you so much! Yeah, I can't hardly believe that Spock would suddenly just 'get over' the destruction of his entire planet, loss of his mother etc etc... Push the emotions down so that he could function, yes, but not totally move past that quickly. Thank you for your lovely review!


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine.

A/N: So, I use music to write by. I'm a bit of a music fanatic, being that it always has to be on for me to focus on anything. Anyway, I just wanted to comment (not that anyone cares, but I bet a bunch of people skip over the author's notes anyway) that I have a really spiffy lineup for music for this fic. Has anyone ever heard of the band Hum? The song is 'Stars' and it's what's playing now... I love it. Yeah... onward.

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His pace had slowed and they had not been walking long. Spock watched his captain carefully, noting that he looked as if his energy were waning even if his spirit and determination were not. Kirk grunted as he tripped over more debris on the ground and nearly came into contact with the floor nose-first.

Vulcans, as a general rule, kept a certain amount of physical distance from humans. It was not any sort of prejudice – for the most part – but simply an attempt to distance themselves from what they considered an overload of uncontrolled, primitive emotions. Now, completely out of character as far as Kirk had seen, Spock moved and gently eased one of the injured captain's arms over his shoulders, carrying some of his weight. The half Vulcan had to bend down to make sure that the other was comfortable, but said nothing as they fell into a slightly quicker, steadier pace.

"Thanks," Jim said at last.

"You would not have made it much further," Spock answered.

Logical. Of course, Jim thought. It wouldn't have been good, old-fashioned comradely that he had begun to develop for him. He thought, briefly, that the elder Spock might have had his younger counterpart all wrong and he was trying too hard to find that friendship that was supposed to be there. While he knew it was, more than likely, the pain and blood loss that was making him agitated at the slightest thing said, he felt highly frustrated at everything that had happened. He had given everything he had to begin to attempt to form some sort of bond with the distant Vulcan, but the elder man seemed impervious to his efforts. _He did try to open up to you, not once, but twice today, _something seemed to say deep down in him. _But you shut him down. Twice. _

"Jim?"

Spock's voice broke him out of his bitter thoughts. "Hmm?"

"You'd grown quiet. It is.... unusual for you."

"I hurt, Spock," the Human responded as if that were reason enough the cease all communication, and apparently it was as the Vulcan said nothing more as the limped their way carefully down the half-destroyed path. That little voice would have to be ignored a while longer.

The tricorder was no longer beeping at Spock's side, as it had been utterly destroyed in the cave-in, but Spock seemed to be following some sort of instinct that knew exactly where they were going. He stopped without warning, nearly making Kirk stumble.

"What?"

"Did you not hear that?" the first officer asked, turning his head slightly to one side. He seemed to be listening intently to something that his Human companion could not hear, no matter how hard he strained. There was only silence, or perhaps the slight shift of rocks that had not yet fallen around them, but nothing new.

"I'm afraid your hearing's a tad bit better than mine," Kirk grumbled. "What does it sound like?"

"A woman," Spock answered with a distant expression in his eyes. "Crying."

"There aren't supposed to be any other life forms here," Jim murmured. "I guess it could be our entity. Pulling us in to ask for help?"

"It is possible. If a creature were to hold a certain telekinetic ability that it were unaware of, or could not fully control, and if it were strong enough it is reasonable to believe that it could latch on to an object in space and pull it as close as it could. Though it did not pull the _Enterprise_ down to the surface."

"You do think this thing is intelligent then?"

Spock nodded. "Yes, Captain, I believe it is."

"Well, maybe it has a way out," Kirk grumbled as he started forward again. "Can you tell which way the crying is coming from?"

"It is difficult, as the sound bounces from one wall to the next." He paused, closing his eyes, and listened intently. "Continuing on, we may find it."

"I could have guessed that much," Kirk grumbled and limped forward.

--------------------

An hour more had passed and Jim wondered idly what the _Enterprise_ was doing about her captain and first officer's long standing absence. He hoped that Bones and Chekov had found a way to avoid the cave in and at least could beam up if necessary. That was one calming thought at least.

Kirk halfway tripped into his companion when the other abruptly stopped. The sobbing sound finally reached the human's ears and his eyes widened. It was anguished and he wondered briefly how he could have not heard it before. He stepped away from his first officer and towards the sound. "Hello?"

"Please," a feminine voice – taught with tears and anguish – answered back, "you must go. He will come for you and you will not escape."

The voice was echoing badly, just as Spock had mentioned earlier, but it sounded as if it might be coming from a small alcove a few meters in front of them. It was not caved it, but seemed the owner of the voice was merely hiding from them. It made no sense, if this was the creature that had brought them here. Why would she pull them and then wish them away? "We can't," Kirk said at length, judging his best route honesty with her. What else did he have? "The cave in destroyed our pathway out."

"Then you must find another!" The voice had turned desperate. "Please, before he comes back. He wishes to kill you."

"You'll have to tell us who 'he' is ma'am. Maybe we can help you...."

"You can't help me! He'll kill you!"

Kirk sighed. He didn't have the patience right now for the woman's riddles. He turned to Spock to get his opinion and his eyes widened. Even in the darkness of the cave where little light made its way in, the Starfleet captain could see silent tears rolling down the normally stoic Vulcan's face. He was shaking slightly, face pale as if he'd seen a ghost. "Spock?" he called quietly, reaching forward and putting a hand on his shoulder. "Spock?"

This seemed to shake the taller man from his trance. "Jim?" He shook his head suddenly, seeming to try to banish what had taken him over. "Please," he called out to the voice, "come forward."

"Spock?" the voice echoed, a sob catching it again. There was a rustling sound and a woman stepped from the niche in the wall. She stood and stared at the two men for a long moment, tears matching those of the Vulcan. Her clothes were ripped and filthy, as if she had spent much time in this place. Cuts and scrapes covered her pale skin and she looked distinctly Human. Dark eyes peered at them. "My dear, did you finally learn to cry?" she murmured.

"This is... impossible," Spock managed, shock filling his voice. There was no possibility of reigning in the overflowing emotions that he felt, no matter how much training he had had.

"Do you know her, Spock?" Kirk asked, eyeing the woman carefully.

"I should say so, Captain," Spock answered, straitening himself and tugging the wrinkles from his shirt. It was an attempt to save some of his dignity. "This is Amanda Grayson. My mother."

-----------------------

A/N: Bumbumbum! Anyway, while I am going to individually respond to every review (which will take probably as much time as writing this chapter or more) I would also like to thank all of you for reviewing!!! Amazing! I think I counted nineteen, and I just posted the last chapter a little over twelve hours ago. Thank you!!!! Reviews+PB M&Ms = very happy Saiko-chan!

Michaela: Yeah, I think that Kirk is getting a wee bit irked. I mean, thinking about it, he probably would have caught glimpses of all the good things that happened between Spock-Prime and his Kirk, not all the bad things that also helped to solidify their long standing friendship. I doubt that all of the chaos (the near death via pon farr and things like it) all made it into the brief mind meld that was not even meant to show that, but I also think that because Spock-Prime states that there is an emotional exchange as well, that on some subconscious level he could not have helped but shown younger Jim the relationship he had held with his friend, therefore encouraging this Kirk to pursue a friendship with this Spock. Yeah... I think these things through way too much....

Bineshii: Oh wow! Thanks! So many fanfics have popped up so quickly from this genre. I just saw the movie for the third time last night, but I've been a TOS fan all my life. I've always loved Spock, Kirk, and bones (though I have to admit, Spock is my favourite). I'm glad it's suspenseful, that means I haven't thoroughly given everything. I hate being predictable. I hope this chapter didn't let you down. I'm a bit nervous on how people will react to the turn this has taken....

Secret Thought: I'm excited too, so don't worry. I'm one of those 'I torture my favourite characters to make their relationships stronger' sort of writers, which I've found a lot in fanfiction... I suppose we're just a sadistic bunch.

Ebony Falcon: Thank you!!

Shinigami061: Or playing chess. They seem to do that a lot. And while that's fine for a few filler moments (or when a kid decides to melt the pieces with his mind) it wouldn't make for a very eventful storyline. It does make sense, in a way, with the people that they send. Kirk wants to be there. He's an adventurer in both time lines. He can't stand to be left behind, so that takes care of him. Spock is the science officer, so of course he would be on the ground with the away team, as that's his primary job. That's pretty much where his pay check comes from, for lack of a better explanation, and Bones is a doctor, so if anyone gets hurt, they need him! Hehe, you cracked me up with the 'yay for cave-ins' comment. And I agree with the colloquialisms (that was the word I was trying to think of while writing the chapter! Thank you!). In my other Star Trek story, Kirk says something about 'hitting the sack' and Spock is completely confused, asking why someone would want to hit a sack. Hehe... Ah yes, PBM&Ms... amazing thing. My mom laughed when she went to the store the other day and I asked for some, but I told her that I quit smoking, so I have to have SOMETHING... that's just what I chose to addict myself to instead of nicotine.

Marine55:Then thanks so much for the review!! You're awesome! I am sorry about the short chapters. I've always said that I don't write my stories, they write themselves (or the characters write them), so the length of the chapters depends on what ends up happening. I've tried to force myself into longer chapters in stories that wanted short, and it just turns out sounding bad, so I try to update more to make up for it.

Icy Sapphire15: Plox? I'm afraid I do not know this expression... I'm sorry. I've never seen Voyager, actually, I grew up an TOS fan and know a bit about TNG because my dad is a big fan. Yeah, I like how they made Chekov in this movie. He's still bumbling, but certainly no idiot. I always felt like he was a little slow to be on a star ship sometimes, but he was wonderful in this movie.

MeEksiNs: Yes, I enjoy the verbal battle as well. It was always one of my favourite parts of TOS for me, especially when Bones knew exactly what Spock was feeling, though the Vulcan would never show it or admit it, and blatantly told him.

Fridayweed: I love working with extra senses. They use it a bit in TOS (especially the second pilot, even though I wasn't crazy about the actual episode) and Spock showed tendencies towards noting things beyond the seen in the Motion Picture, so I just kind of ran with it before I realized I was. My novels usually have a lot to do with extra senses and special talents.

Crazed Fuzzle: I guess you didn't read the original authors note before I began writing.... I am one of those (rare?) people who was rather irritated by the whole 'Spock and Uhura are suddenly in a relationship! Yay!' moments in the movie. I've always preferred Uhura with Scotty, personally, because of the 5th movie, and if I pair Spock with anyone, I'd say it would either be Nurse Chapel (poor woman, she loves him so much) or possibly even Savvik because of the way she helps him in the third movie... but even that's been a more recent development in my tastes of Spock pairings. I agree, that if Spock were to be in a romantic relationship in this story, that it would be something that would be crucial to be in here, dealing with emotions and all, but in my story he is not.... sorry. I tend to focus, when it comes to actually writing Spock relationship fics, on his and Kirk's and Bones' friendships. That's just me. I may eventually write something with either Savvik or Chapel in it though...

Phantomschmerz: As of now it appears to be. We have Kirk injured, Amanda has shown up, now what will happen? Precognition can take two routes, literal or symbolic interpretation, so who knows what awaits Kirk and Spock around the corner? (-whispers- I do! And you will too when I write more chapters! –grins-)

Sootgremlin11: Thank you for feeding my addiction! You're a lovely person for doing so! That's strange that no one else had touched on Bones' fear... Hmm... Something I've found is that this movie has brought quite a few new fans to Star Trek that have never seen the original series or anything else, so maybe they don't know. He doesn't really say anything in the movie about it, but I know all through the series and the movies he's complaining about it. Like the first movie... the fact that he refused to be beamed up at all and Kirk tells them to do it anyway hehe... Gotta love it.

May20: You speak English very well for it not being your native language. Being that it is my first, I don't know from personal experience, but I hear that it is one of the harder languages to try to learn. So congrats XD Hehe... and yes, I'd say Kirk would try to get an A just to get Spock to go with them.

Elvenstar Imrahil: Yay cackling! It's so much fun. I do it regularly.... but everyone knows I'm a bit cracked in the head, so it's alright. What does FTW mean?

Latin-freak: Fifth! Lucky! I can't wait to see it again. I hope I can see it again, but I have to find new people to drag along with me each time lol.

Ai-Sarang: Yay caves! Everyone seems to love the fact that their stuck in a cave together. Me too, actually. I love friendship bonding....

A-zla: If Jim Kirk has any luck at all, it's bad at first, then some uncanny way to outwit that bad luck.

Dragonwitch250: Updated! Yeah, I think I would certainly be unnerved if I had a dream like this and it began unfolding.

Cai-ann: If you're interested (and I hope you are, because the original was AMAZING) you can go to and they have free episodes to watch online. I think they have every episode from the series, and the movies are good too. I have quite a few references in this story back to the original series and the movies, but it can be read with having seen just the movie, I suppose. I'm glad you listened to your whim and I hope you continue to enjoy the story!

Pol: Thank you very much!


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten.

A/N: So I finally updated my deviantart account. I feel productive.

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"Mother?" Kirk croaked, unsure if he heard his first officer correctly. It was impossible that he had. Amanda Grayson had fallen to her death when they had failed to latch onto her with the tractor beam. He had been in the engineering room with Chekov's frantic cries as he had tried his damndest to latch on and seen Spock's face and outstretched arm that had been reaching for someone no longer there.

"There's no time," Amanda said suddenly, rushing towards both of them. "You must go now. If I had known it was you, Spock, I would have done everything in my power to have warned you earlier."

"Woh, hold on," Kirk responded, hands motioning for the conversation the ceased and desist momentarily. At least until he had his answers. "Spock, you of all people are not going to take this without explanation, are you?"

In all honesty, Spock was not sure he could handle the conversation at the moment. He glanced at the woman that looked so like his mother.

Amanda sniffled. "After so long doing so well on Vulcan, this is what this entire scenario had reduced me to," she murmured, wiping tears from her eyes. "I don't know the details of it, you know that, Spock. I taught English, never physics. I left that to you and your father." She paused a moment, eyes glazing over slightly as she pulled frightening memories to the forefront of her mind. "I was standing on the cliff's edge, waiting for the transporter to lock on to us, with our home crashing down over our heads and under our feet." Tears stung her eyes as she spoke of Vulcan. "I looked at you and told you that it was okay to be scared. Your eyes widened as you realized what was happening and you reached for me, but I was already falling…. I don't remember much after that. There was nothing… floating in some sort of nothingness, and I'm not entirely sure that it was more than my consciousness." She paused again, regaining her composure. "Then I was here… and _he_ was here."

"Who is here, Mother?" Spoke asked, pulling her focus fully on him. "You must tell us."

"He's horrible, Spock," she cried. "He said he was going to lure you in when you were close enough." She turned frantic eyes between the two officers. "He's insane, and powerful."

"Mother, you still have not told us who he is."

"I don't know his name," the aging Human woman murmured. "But he's Romulan. I think… I think he was the one that destroyed Vulcan."

"That's impossible. Nero's dead," Kirk counted, his voice a little more tense than he meant for it to be. Amanda's fright was putting his already frayed nerves on edge. He was sure, that given other circumstances – any other circumstances than these – that she would be just as calm as any Vulcan, but not today and not there.

"Describe this Romulan," Spock said, eyes watching for the source of sounds that Human ears could not hear.

"Tall, bald. He had tribal markings all along his face and around his head. His eyes… dark and cold. He said he has cheated death twice now. He-"

A hand reached from the darker of the corners of the cave and Amanda was pulled back. "Enough," a voice hissed from the shadows. "Not one move."

The voice, known far too well to the recent war heroes, stopped them in their tracks. Spock seemed to freeze as if he were a statue, his dream flooding back into his mind. Shadows of a cave, his mother, Jim, and…

"Nero," Jim's voice rang clearly through the cave, cutting the cold air with his tone.

"It's an interesting story," the miner snarled, the sadistic smirk evident in his voice. "Who would have thought even though our ship was mostly destroyed in the wormhole, that we would still be thrown through time? We didn't go back nearly as far this time. A few months, and landed here. Shriven II, unless used to be something else. By our time the explorers have given up on it." He paused, positioning his hand around Amanda's neck. The light from the holes in the high ceilings caught his hand, showing it marred and shredded. "Most of my crew, Captain Kirk, died on impact. I and a few others survived, but they did not make it through the harsh elements. I am the only Romulan left."

"We will not allow what has happened in your time to happen in ours," Spock swore, his voice tightly controlled. "Unlike you, I cannot blame an entire race for the foolishness of a few."

"So _you_ will save my people, Ambassador Spock?" Nero sneered.

"I am not ambassador yet, and there is a chance I never will be. You altered our destinies when you came to our time." The young Vulcan paused and took a moment to gather himself. "You destroyed Vulcan."

"A planet for a planet!" the deranged man yelled. He shook Amanda briefly then pulled her closer so that his breath was not on her face when he spoke. "I'm not done with my story though, am I, Amanda?" He turned back to Kirk and Spock. "That phaser, Captain, I want it thrown towards me."

Kirk glared at him, but as the taller man tightened his grip on the woman in his arms he did as commanded. Nero motioned towards Spock to do the same and the half-Vulcan did so.

"Now we can continue. I found this cave and took shelter here. What else was I to do? You destroyed my hopes of ever returning home. That's all I wanted to do, Captain, was go home."

"You had already destroyed one peaceful planet, killed billions on it, and then attacked a _fleet_ of starships flying under the Federation! Not to mention the _Kelvin_ twenty-five years ago! If you'd 'just wanted to go home' you could have damn well done that when you came through the black hole to begin with!" Kirk spat, rage building and exploding from him within a matter of seconds.

"I wanted him dead!" Nero screamed, pointing at Spock. Amanda gave a small gasp in his grasp and he shook her until she quieted. "I came here, after my people were killed and I found I had nothing. On entering the cave, I found the strangest thing: Shriven II was not empty. A woman was here." He lifted Amanda's chin so that she was looking at both Captain and first officer. "Pretty thing, isn't she. Past the prime of her human years, I suppose, but still…" He glanced at Spock who stood tensely. "I found out that she had been a resident on Vulcan. The wife of an ambassador. She had fallen off the cliff as the _U.S.S. Enterprise_ had attempted to beam her aboard. The beaming processes, it would seem, malfunctioned, and sent her atoms spiraling into the universe, to land here. What a coincidence, but not an unwelcomed one." He paused, turning his attention fully on Spock. "And then the _Enterprise_ herself came close. You're a scientist for the Federation, Mr. Spock. Do you know why this planet will eventually be declared completely uninhabitable?"

"I have heard rumours of it."

"The planet itself will give power to those with the will to use it."

"But it will destroy you. No humanoid is able to withstand the strain that it puts on the body for very long."

"What does it matter?" Nero asked. "I have what I want here, and even with all of that I am willing to make a trade." Now he turned his eyes back to Kirk. "Amanda Grayson for your first officer."

Spock's world suddenly seemed to spiral out of control. He had never shown any leanings towards precognitive abilities, but he could not deny the extreme similarities between his dream and this reality. Jim was about to die. For him, his Captain was about to offer an exchange that Nero would take. If he and his mother would make it out alive after, he did not know, but he could not question what was about to happen. Was it okay to be scared, he wondered for a moment. Was it truly alright to put aside everything he had ever been taught to feel fear for his captain – his friend? – at this time?

He turned his attention toward the blond. He was beaten and bloodied, just as he had been in the dream. His breathing was ragged and Spock knew that his injuries were worse than they might have originally believed. There would be no chance of getting around Nero and running.

--------------------

The transporter pad lit up and McCoy and Chekov came into view at long last. Bones ripped his coat from his shoulders as he moved towards the control panel that Scotty stood behind. "What's the news?"

"We 'ave none, Doctor," Montgomery Scott answered, voice having a saddened sound to it. "We were hoping ye'd know something, being as ye were down there."

"We didn't hear shit other than the wind," the country doctor turned Starfleet doctor grumbled as he leaned against the wall. "Now I want to know why you beamed us up when Jim told us to wait."

"The readings the crew's got were readin' so far below 0 that you two'd be gonners if you'd stayed down there much longer," Scotty explained.

"The Keptin and Mr. Spock 'ave more've a chance because they have the cawe wall to protect them," Chekov murmured as he peeled his layers off. "Unless they cawe in-"

"Shut it, kid," McCoy growled. "Didn't you learn anything from last time? Jim Kirk doesn't know _how_ to give up. They'll get out just fine."

"Well, I've got the engines back runnin'," Scotty informed them. "When the Captain signals that we won't be gettin' pulled back, we're gone and on our way to New Vulcan."

Bones nodded, eyeing the steady readout on the computers, looking for signs that his friend was still alive down there. It wasn't like they could leave even if he was not.

-------------

"It's a simple exchange," Nero said, voice echoing. "Really, Kirk, I'm even letting you live."

"I won't give him up, you sorry bastard," Kirk growled back. This was not his day. It reminded him more of a horrible nightmare than anything. "I won't let you take him." If he had thought back on it, it was possible that Spock had known all along. Not likely, but possible. It might have even been subconscious, as the Vulcan would have never believed that Nero could have survived until he saw it with his own eyes, but he had mentioned something about the _Narada_'s demise just before they had beamed down. Kirk wished he had listened better to his friend… about everything. "I'm sorry, Spock," he found himself saying, eyes turned downward. "I'm sorry I didn't listen to you."

Spock did not even try to push back the rising panic. He knew what was next. Every muscle in his body tensed.

"Take me in exchange, Nero," Kirk bargained. "I was the one that gave the order to destroy the _Narada_. Let Spock and his mother go. You've destroyed Vulcan. You've made him feel everything you felt. Now take me."

A low chuckle echoed through the cave as Nero reached for something in the darkness. The sound escaladed into full laughter as he tossed the Human in his arms to the side. He moved at a speed that the injured Human in front of him could not hope to avoid, spear-staff in hand. Captain James Kirk braced himself for the impact that he knew was coming. He could only hope that while Nero was busy killing him that Spock could get his mother to safety. So much for that bond that the ambassador had spoken of. He had truly wished that he could have known it as his alternate self had.

The impact came, but not as he would have expected it. Jim's eyes fluttered open and he found himself on the cave's floor, draped over the rocks. It took a moment for his mind to register that he had been pushed out of the way and that his savior was none other than the half Vulcan that he expected to be his last thought. "S-Spock!" he screamed.

In all his speed, Spock had not made it clear in time.

-----------------------

A/N: Wuha! Cliffhanger!! I love that staff of Nero's… in my own sadistic way. Please don't kill me!! Just review! The more reviews I get, the fast I'll want to see if Spock's okay or not.

Bineshiikwe: Where did you find it online? Augh! You mean I could be feeding my addiction more and I didn't know it?! The alternate realty has been growing on me more and more since seeing it the first time.

Jan7: So, my mom and I had dinner tonight and she was asking about what sort of reviews I got on fanfiction. So I showed her yours. Lol. She was impressed I think… Which made me feel good. So thank you! You know, I'd actually played with the idea of having an alien that could shape shift being Amanda… briefly, but then decided to go with the original idea of scattering like Bones is so scared of. Lol. Poor McCoy. Now he really has reason to be scared. Okay, thanks for the cave info! I thought about half way through the last chapter: 'oh shit! I haven't explained any light and it's a cave therefore it's dark! Oh no!' lol. So I tried to clear up what was in my head for you in this chapter. It's good to be nitpicky. You're wonderful for it!

Loesje: Yes, they are getting long, but this is just the way that I've always done them… I'm sorry! Just know that I tend to ramble a lot and that I write replies to absolutely everyone that has reviewed by the time I post the next chapter…. I tried to make this one a little longer so you wouldn't be disappointed, but I don't know if I succeeded. I didn't count. The characters write the story for the most part, and if I try to interfere I just screw it up lol!

Shinigami061:I want to give him a hug too…. Both of them now. And their friendship wouldn't just explode from nothingness… I agree. I think Jim would want it to though. Glad you like the updates!

Dragonwithc250: Yes, that was Spock crying. He does cry, every great once and a while. In…. the motion picture, he cries without any drugs or anything lol. Being that I've gone on multiple 'spores episode' rants when it has to do with Spock's lovey dovey relationships….

Cleopatra's Snake: Well, Kirk does later describe him as the most Human he has ever encountered…. I love Wrath of Khan… Mmm… And I love Amanda. She was always a favourite of mine in TOS, so I nearly died when she did during the new movie.

Vulcanvamp: If you think the last chapter was a cliffie, what about this one? –grins- yeah… I love my cliff hangers

Elvenstar Imrahil: Sorry, I'm a little behind the times on a bit of internet speak. I know most of it, but some still catches me unawares. Yay cackling fits!

LunarEclipse: Sure thing!

Secret Thought: No… I think not.

Aisling-Siobhan: Great! Hope you are still!

MeEksiNs: No problem!

TechieFashionista: Thank you!

PlayfulSylph: You cracked me up! He's in a cave, it must be Khan! I love Khan. It's the accent… Mmm… My mom still has a thing for him, so many years later. I had to show my roommate the old episode with him in it to explain WHY my mom's in love with him, but she saw him and understood. Khan….. Anyway, yay updates!

Latin-freak: And another Cliffhanger! My gosh! $11?! Our are… $8 here?

CrazyGunFire: You thought the last one was bad, I think I made this one worse… I'll have to go find TNG episodes and watch Q. I vaguely remember seeing him, once I'd looked him up online, but not enough. Ah well. I think we've established it is not Q (especially since that would be taking it WAY out of my territory if it were).


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven.

A/N: So, I had thought the response might be something along the lines that it was…. That makes me happy. Poor Spock though…. Having to suffer for the story. Kirk too, he's not in great shape.

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There was nothing at first. Just the feeling of being pushed backwards with all the force of someone who had been running like Nero had. He felt himself hit the wall of the cave and he grunted on impact. Everything slowed and his calm eyes met the wild ones of the Romulan that he might promise to help someday…

"Before I die," Nero growled, voice cracked and strained from the effort the attack had taken on his already tattered body, "I wanted to see the life leave your eyes."

The pain hit suddenly, as if it had taken a couple seconds to catch up with him. The half-Vulcan choked back a cry and he set his jaw firmly. He would not give Nero the satisfaction of seeing him in pain.

The Romulan twisted his Teral'n and Spock couldn't help but to choke out a cry of pain. The ancient staff had impaled the son of Serek straight through, just left of his spine. The Vulcan briefly wondered if he should be thankful or not that he still could feel his legs at this point.

"Enough!" Kirk's voice rang out through the cave.

Nero turned to look at the annoyance. Jim had a phaser aimed at him, ready to shoot. "You think I am afraid of that?" the Romulan scoffed.

"I don't give a damn if you're afraid of it or not," the Federation captain answered. "I know it'll kill you. Release my first officer and we will detain you alive."

"I'm dying anyway."

"We have the best doctors in the galaxy. We can find a way-"

"All I want is him dead," Nero spat out, twisting the staff once more and then violently pulled it from him.

Spock slumped to the ground, his whole body shaking under the intense pain it was being put under. A coppery taste filled his mouth and he coughed once, dark green liquid falling from his lips and splattering the floor. Almost simultaneously, Jim had shot his phaser, hitting the mark dead on. Nero fell in a pile onto the ground just feet away from Spock.

His captain was by his side before he knew it, pulling him into an elevated position. "Spock? Can you hear me? C'mon, answer."

"I hear you," the injured Vulcan answered, voice taught and strained. "I…"

Kirk felt near to panic. He could command a starship, that was no problem. He could put his own life on the line for a mission, he had no qualms with that either, but to see the young man that _should_ have grown to be his dearest friend lying in an ever-growing pool of his own blood, he didn't know what to do. He needed Bones. "We have to get you to the _Enterprise_," he murmured finally. "We have to get you to Bones."

"There's an exit not too far ahead," Amanda said from where she was picking herself up off of the ground. "And we need to hurry."

Jim nodded as he gathered his first officer as best he could. He slung one arm over his shoulder, pulling as much of the tall Vulcan's weight to him as he could hold on his already injured leg. The ground gave a violent lurch beneath them and Kirk's eyes met the dark ones that belonged to Amanda Grayson. Strange, he would have never thought that Spock would have had his mother's eyes.

They nodded in silent agreement as she moved to take her son's other side as much as she could. The three of them limped their way towards the mouth of the cave as it began to shake more violently. Kirk now understood why they were advised to stay clear of the planet.

As soon as they reached the edge, he pulled his communicator from his pocket. It fuzzed at him momentarily, static the only thing he could hear. It had to work. It had to. "Kirk to _Enterprise_. Come in." Pause. "_Enterprise_, do you read me?"

"_Captain!_" Scotty's voice rang through. _"You ready t' be comin' back?"_

"I think so, Mr. Scott. Three to beam up."

_"Three, sir?"_

"Yes sir," Kirk said and nodded.

_"Right. Energizing."_

Kirk felt the familiar tingle in every inch of his body and he clung to Spock, keeping the elder man steady. He wasn't even sure that his first officer was still conscious, as the other was slumped against him, unmoving.

They rematerialized in the transporter room and McCoy was standing in front of him before he knew it. "Leave it to you, Jim, to go and get yourself hurt. And… Damn." His eyes had come to rest on the dark haired man in Jim's arms.

"Take Spock back to sickbay," Kirk ordered, his voice leaving no room for argument. "I'll meet you back there when I have this ship clear of Shriven II."

McCoy nodded numbly, taken the fallen Vulcan into his arms and turning towards sickbay. Jim was left to watch momentarily before instincts kicked in. The planet had been doing everything it could to keep them there. It was not unreasonable that it would try to hold them in orbit. "Scotty, I want us out of here."

"Engines ready, sir," the engineer assured him.

"I'll be on the bridge."

----------------------

"Captain!"

The bridge seemed to explode as Kirk stepped out of the lift, but he didn't have time for it. He limped his way to his chair, barking orders the whole way. "Mr. Sulu, I need us out of here now. Lieutenant Uhura, communications?"

"Not yet sir. I'll let you know as soon as I have them back."

He nodded once to her. "Sulu?"

"We're pulling at warp, sir, but we can't pull away."

"Scotty! I need us out of here now," Kirk called over the comm. system.

" _Aye, sir!"_ the Scotsman answered back and the ship lurched forward.

"Sir, we've broken free of the planet," Chekov announced, eyes wide and a grin spreading across his face.

"Good job, everyone. Set our course for New Vulcan."

"Aye sir. Course laid in: New Wulcan," the Russian agreed, his fingers nimbly moving over his keypads.

"We have communications, Captain," Uhura stated.

"Good," Kirk answered her, his voice sounding exhausted. "Contact Starfleet. Tell them that we ran into some trouble. They'll get a report on it as soon as I can…. And we're on rout to New Vulcan now."

"Aye sir."

-----------------------

"Nurse Chapel, see to the Captain, will ya?" Doctor Leonard McCoy said distractedly from his place over the med table. Spock lay motionless on the biobed, his face seemingly frozen in a pain filled expression. Sweat drenched his body and the monitor over his bed was running wild.

"Captain?"

Kirk finally turned to notice the pretty blonde nurse that was trying to urge him to a bed of his own. He complied, albeit slowly. "How is he, Bones?"

"I don't know, Jim," the frustrated reply came. "I don't know a damn thing about Vulcan physiology."

"That's not true. I remember you complaining regularly about having to study it during school."

"It's different than actually working on one." He look one long glance at his patient and sighed. "He's lucky, though, because if his heart had been where it is on a human, he'd be dead. Whatever hit him ripped apart his ribcage. What was it, Jim?"

Kirk shook his head. They would discuss it later. "Aren't Vulcans supposed to do some sort of self-healing thing? I remember you mentioning that was going to be on a test of yours once."

"A meditative state they can reach that focuses all their energy on healing…. How the hell do you remember that?"

"Spock has never, to my knowledge, fully been able to grasp the concept." All eyes turned to see the nearly forgotten Amanda Grayson who stood clasping her son's soiled uniform shirt that had been tossed to one side.

"Bones, you met-"

"Yes, we've been introduced." He turned his attention back to his patient's mother. "Are you saying Spock is incapable to performing this?"

"Not incapable, but… He has always had difficulty find his focus as strong as it must be for it to work. It is one of the downfalls of being a child of two worlds. Vulcans and Humans are so alike in physiology that reproduction is not difficult, but there are small things that physically effect the child, I suppose. Spock is the only known hybrid to date."

The room grew silent, except for the ragged breathing of the wounded first officer. Bones let another sigh escape his lips. "I've patched him up as best as I know how, Jim," he swore. "It's up to Spock if he pulls through or not. Let's take a look at you now."

"I'm fine, Bones."

"Don't you 'I'm fine, Bones' me. You may be the captain of this ship, but I've told you before who the one person who outranks the captain. I can ground you."

Jim Kirk might have chuckled at his friend's attempt at a long standing joke if the circumstances had been different. As it was, he lay back on the examination table without a word and did not argue when McCoy gave him a sedative to keep him still. As he was drifting off into nothingness, he prayed to whoever might be listening that he would not wake up to find that Spock never would.

-------------------

A/N: Oookay… Hmm. I spent quite a time on memory alpha looking up Vulcan traits and such. I never could quite remember where a Vulcan heart was supposed to be, but I found it!

Icy Saphhire 15: Fangasms… hehe. That made me laugh. I like that word.

Latin-freak: Ah New York… I haven't been there in….. a loooong time. But I loved it when I visited. Well, we still don't know if Spock'll make it, but at least they made it to the _Enterprise_, right?

Crazy Gun Fire: I'm sorry. I am mean. Maybe we can call Nero stupid for going all nutters on us and call it even?

MeEksiNs: No problem! I try when I can. I spent my whole day at work thinking 'I want to go update!' but alas, I had to work….

VulcanVamp: Haha. Yeah. I love my cliffhangers. And this wasn't as bad of one, but we still don't know…. I mean, he could still die… - evil grin – I'm going to shut up before someone kills me…

Ai-Sarang: Well, he's not dead yet. –grins-

Cleopatra's Snake: 'There be whales in here, Captain!' lol. My parents and I still, whenever we park anywhere will say 'everybody remember where we park' and every once and a while, someone will throw it 'well at least it's not cloaked' or 'at least it's not a Bird of Prey!' or something along those lines… My family and I are such nerds. I suppose that means I come by it naturally at least.

Aisling-Siobhan: yes, they are evil. I hate them in everyone else's stories, but they give me a sort of high to write them…. Yay for legal highs!

Shinigami061: I've been an Amanda Grayson fan for a VERY long time. I always thought she worked so well with Serek, with that 'you irk me to no end, but…. It's okay, I love you, even if it is not logical' – gushes – I love those two…. And I REALLY love their offspring.

Dragonwitch250: Well, he's not getting out of it without injuries… He's my favourite… that kinda puts him at a disadvantage in the health department…..

Yamihoole: Well, he's alive still. That's half of what you asked for. Does that count?

Eclipse: Welcome to an amazing fandom! I highly suggest you go straight away and look up TOS online () and watch them! Sorry, I advise that to anyone who hasn't seen them, and I am currently fishing around within my skull for ideas of the next story to write after this one, as I've loved working on this one so much.

Elvenstar Imrahil: He is, isn't he? I guess it isn't really fair, because have this all pictured in my mind (this scene popped in my head one day and compelled me to write a story to place it in… that's really twisted I guess 'plot: spock gets stabbed while protecting jim. Objective: write decent story to surround sadistic desires to injure favourite character' Yeah…. I need therapy

LunarEclipse: Haha! Actually, for a villain, I liked him. Please don't kill me. Anyone he pops on onto a vid screen and greets a Federation vessel with 'Hi Christopher. I'm Nero." Really nonchalantly, has my vote for awesome crazy guy award. Especially when he starts blowing up planets… well, that drops the awesome, but it definitely meets crazy criteria.

PlayfulSylph: Yeah, villains tend to do that….

Jan7: Being that I probably won't actually explain it in the story, I'm going to tell you my basic theory behind 'Amanda randomly shows up all over the place.' It just ties in with the precognitive moments that Spock has all through the story. And I found that that particular notion is not as farfetched as might have previously been conceived! Yay! Not only do Vulcans show signs of telepath (via mind melds) but I read on memory alpha that they have shown signs of telekinesis too. I'm the same way. I love seeing my fav characters tortured, just not killed. Killing them takes it a little too far… unless you can somehow bring them back, like they did in the movies with Spock.

FireShifter: No, she was actually talking about Nero using all of his power up, if we're thinking on the same thing. The planet drains the person that uses it. About Spock taking the high road, I believe that to be logical… not that I'm an overly logical person myself, but I would see that as the best route. Why should billions of suffer for one's sins?

Aki Griffin: Ouch! Dammit…. Evil foam bats…. Those usually have PVC pipe in them…. More has arrived!


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve.

Kirk stirred to consciousness slowly, eyes first seeking out that atomic clock. He'd been out for perhaps an hour. Slowly, as not to send Bones into a frenzy, he sat up and surveyed his surroundings. The sickbay was mostly dark, with only a few dim lights at each corner of the room. A light shown from the hall where McCoy did his paperwork, but the doctor was not currently in the room.

Spock still lay on the biobed opposite of him. At least he knew that his first officer was not dead. Gingerly Kirk put two feet in the ground, shifting his weight so that he would not reinjure his right leg. He limped his way over to the bed and looked down at the far too pale Vulcan who lay on it. His breathing seemed too sporadic for his normal calm and the readings showed immense strain on his heart.

Kirk reached a hand out to his friend and noted that at least his skin was no warmer than usual. He remembered the first time that he had been close enough to the Vulcan to feel the other's much higher body heat radiating from him. He'd wondered, back then, if Spock was ill, but realized soon after that Vulcans temperature was several degrees above Humans to match their warm surroundings. He wasn't sure if he would know a Vulcan fever if he felt it.

Spock stirred under the captain's hand and a moan escaped his lips. His dark eyes fluttered for a moment before opening slowly to gaze glossily up. "Jim?"

"Hey there," Kirk greeted as cheerfully as he could. "How're you feeling?"

"Not well," Spock answered, his voice dry and cracked. It sounded strange coming from him. He did not belong on death's door. "Are you unharmed, Captain?"

"I'm fine. Just a few scrapes and bruises. Nothing Bones can't fix. Your mother's okay too." He paused for a long breath, waiting to see if Spock would say anything. All the other seemed to be able to do was nod his understanding, and even that was only the slightest of movements that might have been missed had Jim not been looking. The Human steeled himself against the rush of fear and did everything he could to keep it out of his voice. "Spock, Bones has done everything he can…."

"The odds of my surviving the encounter were minimal," he said, his voice sounding more as if he were reading data from a tricorder. "I cannot hope to continue escaping death so closely."

"Yes you can," Kirk said without thinking. This brought an arched eyebrow that the blond had learned to find amusing, but he could not find his normal enjoyment from it then. "You have to. Listen, isn't there some sort of meditation that can heal you? Your mother said that you've never had the focus for it, but you have to try!"

"I cannot focus, Jim," Spock managed, almost apologetically. "It is one of the downsides to being half Human."

"I don't give a damn what you are. I don't believe in no-win scenarios, Spock, and if you die, that's losing. Especially if you die without even trying. You have to fight. You have to _want_ to live."

A strange look passed through the half Vulcan's dark eyes and then settled back into his normal guarded expression. "Are you needed on the bridge, sir?"

If he'd been well, Jim might have decked him then and there. Of all the absurd questions to ask…. They were free of what had been holding them – not that Spock knew that, but that was beside the point – and on steady path to New Vulcan. Kirk himself was injured and even if he weren't, he would not plan on leaving his friend's side unless there was an emergency. What did he expect him to say? "No," he finally settled on.

Spock gave another small, almost missed nods and closed his eyes. "Will you be here then?"

"Right here," Kirk promised.

There was no response from the Vulcan and Jim was not sure that he had even heard him. He looked at the machinery and saw that his vitals had stabilized, even if they were low. His body seemed almost ready to shut down. Fear gripped him suddenly and he wondered if that had been some strange goodbye that he had not picked up on. Leave it to Spock to die without coming outright and warning him.

"How did you do it?"

Kirk turned to see Amanda standing at the entrance, her eyes wide as she stared at her son's still form and the monitor above his head. "What do you mean?"

"You advised him to try and he took your advice."

Jim gawked for a moment, his tired mind taking longer than it usual would have to process what the aging woman was trying to say. "You're saying that he's in a trance? He's dying!"

She shook her head. "I have seen Serek do it. Once. To Human monitoring systems, it might appear that the Vulcan is dying, but in truth they are redirecting all conscious effort to heal themselves. Spock was unable to do it as a small child and has refused to attempt it again since then. True, he can meditate to control his emotional state, but this sort of trance took too much for him, or at least he believed as much." Tears brimmed her dark eyes. "Thank you, Captain Kirk."

"I… didn't do anything," Jim managed, confused.

"You did more than you know. He must have an amazing amount of respect for you to have listened to you. I could never convince him to try."

Kirk did not reply as he looked down at his friend. So he had made it into his trance-state. Did that mean he was set? He couldn't sure, and he didn't want to believe it if there was even a chance that Spock and tried too late. What if he simply slipped off? He wouldn't risk leaving his side.

"Did he ask for anything?" Amanda asked quietly.

"He just asked if I was staying," Kirk murmured. He reached out and took one of Spock's hands in his own, hoping that the gesture would not interrupt the Vulcan's concentration. Spock might not even understand his Captain's sudden need for contact, but if he were to ever ask, Jim would have to give it up to a Human impulse.

Amanda smiled slightly. "Then it is you," she murmured. "He needed something to focus on, and he chose you. He does hold you in high respect."

Jim didn't know what to say, so for once, he said nothing. He merely reached out and pulled a chair so that he could take a seat, holding tightly to his first officer's hand the whole time.

--------------

It felt a little like swimming. Granted, he'd only been swimming once in his life, when he was very young, but if memory served, what he felt now and what he had felt then had many similarities. With the exception of his conscious state. He could feel his right hand weighing slightly more than his left and suddenly he knew where he was.

He'd done it, Spock realized. He had managed, somehow, to pull himself deep into his own mind and fall into a healing trance that should have pulled him out of immediate danger. He felt heavy and tired, but that was likely from blood loss. He might have closed the wounds and begun to heal broken bones, but he could not, not matter how much he tired, replace the blood that he lost.

What was next? Now that he wasn't sure of. He had never made it this far into the trance. He had heard stories of Vulcans reaching this level, and then slowly slipping because they had not returned, but he couldn't remember what it was that he should do to return to the surface. What was the next logical step? If one is swimming and one is under the water, wishing to go upward and break the surface, then one should swim upward. Yes, that was quite logical.

His limbs felt tired, but he forced them to move. He had to try. It was a slow, strenuous swim, and something in the back of his mind reminded him that if he were under dark waters, it was dangerous to swim too much in one direction, as one might be swimming deeper without knowing it, but then it happened. Light appeared above him and he could feel himself straining even harder to break the surface.

His eyes opened and he felt himself gasp, as if he had not been able to catch his breath for a long time. He blinked rapidly against the bright lights, and then came to focus on three figures leaning over him. The first was Doctor McCoy, looking quite pleased with himself. He turned and motioned to Nurse Chapel, who was also leaning over him, to get something, and she disappeared, leaving room for his mother to take her place. Amanda leaned over him, whispering words he could not understand and smoothing his hair back. She kissed his forehead and he wondered what could have possibly overcome his mother to act in such a way.

There was a third figure, he remembered suddenly, and it became important. That third figure, who obviously was not his mother, had a firm grip on his right hand. He shifted his eyes to see the wide, honey coloured eyes of his captain. "Jim?" he croaked.

"Hey there," Kirk echoed his earlier words. "Now how're you feeling?"

Spock took a moment to assess his injuries. He did not feel as if he were bleeding from the inside any longer, but his ribs were not fully healed. Even so, they were much better than they had been several hours prior. The multiple stab wounds that the Teral'n had left were closed now and it seemed that he now was keeping every ounce of blood that his body was making. He could begin replenishing it instead of fighting to produce more than he was losing. "I believe," he murmured at last, "that I am much better."

"Those ribs'll take some more work," McCoy stated, attempting to hide his joy behind a gruff voice. "You'll need to lie flat for at least a couple more days, but I'd guess you wouldn't make it far with as much blood as you lost."

"For once, I must agree with you, Doctor."

A grin spread across Bones' face and he looked up to Kirk. "I told you I'd win an argument someday."

Jim returned the smile and gave Spock's hand a reassuring squeeze before releasing it. They would, obviously, never speak of what he and Amanda had spoken of while Spock had slept.

The comm. on the wall beeped. _"Captain. We're coming up on New Vulcan."_

Jim reached for the comm. button and pressed it. "Thank you, Mr. Sulu. I'll be on the bridge momentarily." He turned back to the injured Vulcan. "You were wanting to go down to see the colony, weren't you?"

"What I wished for is now irrelevant, Captain, as I have medical orders that it will not happen."

"Yeah, at least one of my patients listens to me," McCoy grumbled.

Kirk laughed, slapping Bones affectionately on the back. "We'll see," he promised. "I've got to take care of a few things. I know you're in very capable hands, Mr. Spock." He did not hear a response as he turned to take the lift to the bridge. He was sure that the half-Vulcan had held his tongue in order as to not offend his attending doctor. He was learning after all.

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A/N: Okay, this is not it! I've still got an epilogue coming. Also, I've had a couple of complaints about how long the review responses have gotten, so I'm going to do them individually this time. I hate doing that, because I feel everyone should see responses… I'm just weird like that, but I've had two complaints, and one person said that they'd stopped reading because of it, so yeah…. I don't really understand the point in not reading a story just because there are review responses at the end, but whatever. See ya'll next chapter!


	13. Epilogue

Epilogue.

"You are certain that Doctor McCoy has cleared me for this?" Spock asked, head slightly tilted and eyebrows knitted together ever so slightly. It was an expression that Jim had come to understand showed confusion. He wasn't sure anyone else on the ship had even noticed it.

The captain placed one hand on the taller man's shoulder. "Something you'll learn about Bones eventually, Spock, is that he's a paranoid type. He thinks that if it can go wrong, it will."

"You still have not answered my question, Captain."

Jim shook his head as they paused at the entrance to the transporter room and glanced at his friend. The Vulcan looked much better than he had even an hour ago. He held himself straight, as always, and the pain no longer showed on his face. Every once and a while it might make it to his eyes, but it was not a constant state as it had been. He was still pale with anemia and his breathing was not quite right, but considering that he had been on death's door step not twenty four hours prior, it seemed a miracle that he was accompanying Kirk to the surface of New Vulcan.

"Technically, regardless of what Doctor McCoy believes, I outrank him on this ship. If you want to see where your people have made a new home and accompany your mother to the surface of it, I have no qualm."

Spock drew a deep breath, seeming to find difficulty in doing so. "Thank you, Jim."

The young Starfleet captain grinned widely. "Now, I explained the situation to your father when I accompanied several of our passengers to the surface earlier. I told him that if you were up to it, I would bring you back with me, but if not, he was more than welcome to come up here. We have several more people we're beaming down and your mother is supposed to be among them."

"Have you told my father of-"

"No," Kirk cut him off. He looked at the toes of his boots and reached to open the door to the transporter room. "I didn't think it was my place."

Spock nodded his understanding and the two entered the room to be greeted by Scotty. The young engineer grinned widely. "Good t' see ye walkin' 'round so quick, Mr. Spock."

"Thank you, Mr. Scott," the Vulcan replied and moved towards the transporter.

Suvok stood waiting for his turn to beam down and he shot a long look at his childhood nemesis. "I had heard that you were greatly wounded, Spock."

"I was."

Kirk stood back to watch the two for a moment. Suvok was, surprisingly enough, the taller of the two Vulcans. He stood tall and proud – though it would never be called that – wearing his Vulcan Science Academy robes that showed he was of the most elite of the Vulcan race. From what Jim had heard from his crew, the man had a sharp mind and even sharper tongue.

"And yet you stand here to beam to the planet's surface. Most illogical."

"If I am able to stand, I am able to perform my duties aboard this ship," Spock answered, face unreadable.

"Boys," Amanda Grayson's voice cut in. "That is enough. Suvok, you're still sore over a black eye that you received when you were fourteen?"

"I am not 'sore' as you put it. I am Vulcan and that is a Human-"

"I am Human, Suvok, not blind. Do not think that your ambassador married a dull witted woman."

"Are you beaming down with us, Mother?" Spock asked, turning his attention from the other who looked on the brink of losing his perfect composure.

"I think I'll take the next one down," she answered. "It will give you time to speak to your father. This is not something that I think he will have foreseen as a logical possibility."

"Then we should go," Kirk called from the pad.

Spock nodded and moved to stand with him, swaying only slightly at the abrupt movement. He turned to look at his mother as he felt his molecules being pulled apart. It was strange, to see her standing and smiling as he was being pulled away. On one level it reminded him of their last moments on Vulcan, but he hastily reminded himself that she would be following shortly, and any worry that he felt was utterly illogical and should be dismissed immediately.

They rematerialized on a planet that Spock had never seen before, though it had a strangely familiar landscape. His elder self had done a fine job of selecting a place for the colony to be set up, he thought. His eyes scanned the half build structures and temporary homes that had been set up. Finally, they came to rest on an approaching Vulcan. "Father," he greeted, lifting his hand in a traditional Vulcan salute. "I do hope to find you well."

"I had not expected you down here, my son," Serek answered as he returned the gesture.

"I am well enough to see the planet that our people now call home, and I thought it would be best if I told you-"

Serek's eyes widened and Spock turned to see that the next party had come down much faster than he had expected. Amanda Grayson stood with her hair scarf blowing in the dusty winds, her hand reached up to block her face from the dust, or to hide the tears that stung her eyes. Serek moved past his son, eyes never leaving Amanda's. "I have had the strangest of dreams," he said slowly as he approached.

Amanda reached her hand forward and touched his face. "Have you, my husband? May I ask what they were pertaining to?"

"They were dreams of you, my wife. That you and I watched Vulcan being restored."

"I believe those dreams might just come true, Serek," Amanda whispered and stood on her toes to kiss her husband. He did not pull away or scold her for her emotional act in front of his people. Instead he touched her face gently and those his motions said little to anyone around him, Amanda knew every movement for what it truly meant. "I love you, my wife," his movements said.

"They've done well for themselves."

Spock turned, not having heard Kirk's approach. "Yes."

"We're not going to lose you to this place, are we?"

An eyebrow arched upward. "What do you mean, Captain?"

"Are you staying?"

"Jim, I have agreed to stay with the _Enterprise_."

The Human nodded, his eyes scanning the improvements made to what had only been a wasted desert from the reports he had read. The Vulcans were resourceful people, for what he knew of them.

"Jim."

Kirk turned towards Spock and realized he had not spoken, but the voice had been his. No, it had been older. A voice filled with years of experience and understanding. His eyes widened as they came to rest on a face that he had seen only briefly since the outpost on Delta Vega. Warm brown eyes seemed to smile back at him without his mouth following suite. The young captain looked desperately back and forth between old and young Spock. What had happened to the universe altering happenings that had been promised?

"But you said-"

"I may have implied, but you gained from the words what you wished to," Ambassador Spock answered the younger version of his dear friend.

Kirk shook his head. "That's bullshit," he grumbled. "That could have been a hellava lot easier."

"But you would not have grown as you both have." The ambassador turned his attention to his younger self. "I hear that you were gravely wounded. It would seem that you found a focus point."

"I did," the young commander answered, nodding in affirmation.

"What the hell?" Jim growled, looking wildly between the two. "Then you've _met_ too?"

"Of course," Spock answered, his eyes strangely mirroring the hidden smile that his elder self had down so well. "Who else would I play chess with?"

Kirk could feel his face heating up. How had he missed this? The elder Spock had had him fully convinced that something in the universe might implode if they had ever met, but apparently they had been meeting for chess games while grounded for the past two weeks? It was beyond anything that he could have imagined. He felt strangely betrayed and all he could think of to say was, "So who wins when you play yourself?"

"Quite typically he does," the younger Spock answered. "He has had more experience, of course."

"Of course," Jim managed, still feeling unnerved by the whole situation. He shook his head slowly, clearing his scattered thoughts. "You," he said pointedly at the elder Vulcan, "are tricky. And you," he turned his attention towards his science officer, "owe me a game of chess now that I know you play."

"I will warn you," the ambassador said, "that he plays most illogically."

"I do not doubt it, as most everything he does is illogical," Spock answered easily.

"Quit it." Both Spocks turned to give him a questioning lift of the eyebrow. "This is creeping me out. Just stop it now."

"If you will excuse me, I must speak momentarily with my parents before we leave, Captain," Spock said and when Jim nodded he turned to move out of sight.

Kirk's communicator beeped loudly in his pocket. "Kirk here."

"_Where the hell is my patient?!"_

"Heya, Bones," Jim responded, grinning widely. "I've got him down here. Don't worry, he's still standing."

"_I swear, James Kirk, if he keels over because of this little trip you decided to take without me making sure he was up to it-"_

Kirk glanced over to where Ambassador Spock had been standing moments before to find his place vacated. The grin waned into a smile, but remained nevertheless. "I think he'll be just fine, Bones." He looked off into the distance to see Amanda fussing over her son and Spock looking as if it were an old ritual. "We'll be up momentarily and you can gripe all you want." He cut the communication, knowing he'd hear about it later.

Spock moved away from his parents and stood next to his captain, hands clasped behind his back. He looked as if he wanted to say something, then stopped. Jim looked at him for a long moment before the half Vulcan finally cleared his throat to speak. "May I tell you something?"

"Of course."

"I was…. troubled before. I believe guilt is the emotion that I held so tightly to."

"Why's that, Spock?" Kirk asked, genuinely curious. He had suspected that his first officer held many emotions close to himself, but guilt would not have been the first he would have listed.

"I had never been able to tell my mother that I loved her." Dark eyes focused on dusty boots. "I have remedied this error in judgment." He took a deep breath before straightening his shoulders a little more. "What is our next course, Captain?"

Kirk grinned widely and reached to his comm. "Beam us up, Scotty." He turned back to his friend, the smile not fading. "I think I may have heard them say something about working towards a five year mission." Energy swirled around them and pulled them upwards toward the ship. Jim knew that if he had his crew with him that it was going to be a very good five years.

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A/N: I'm responding to LostSchizophrenic here because they are not logged in:

Yes, this was the last chapter, but I'm planning to write more. I hope to see you next time around!! Thank you for your lovely review!

A/N: Wow… End? Strange, since I've been working on this so much. I'm exhausted now… I plan to write more for this fandom. I MAY be working more on my TOS story, but I don't know… I may take a couple days off on writing, but that's not for sure yet either. Anyway, I do have a request. Since I love each and every one of you so dearly who have been reviewing, I was going to make the comment that I am off and on again working on an original novel. If anyone is interested in possibly looking over and I guess the term is beta reading my work (is that it?) I was going to see if I could find a couple volunteers. Just people that I when I actually get something of some worth down I can send it to and they can review on it. I still haven't found anywhere that I can post my original writings and get good reviews off of…. If you're interested, let me know please. Love to all and I will individually respond to reviews again because there are quite a few.

Live long and prosper.

TS


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